Graduate mental health worker case management of depression in UK primary care: a pilot study.

Background: Based on data from large multicentre US trials, the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is advocating a stepped-care model for the management of depression, with 'case management' or 'collaborative care' for selected patients in primary care.

Aim: To conduct a pilot study examining the use of graduate mental health workers case managing depressed primary care NHS patients.

Design Of Study: A randomised controlled trial comparing usual GP care with or without case management over 16 weeks of acute antidepressant drug treatment.