Evidence into practice: the mental health hurdle is high

To the Editor: Hickie and Blashki are to be commended for their view that clinical practice guidelines in mental health should be relevant to a primary care setting.1 Unfortunately, such guidelines have little effect on clinical outcomes, as most general practitioners have not been taught how to use them to their best advantage.2 There is also little known about the best way to implement guidelines in mental health, let alone in primary care mental health settings.3 As a result, more guidelines, even those more attuned to the primary care environment, will be of little benefit to our community.