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Primary mental healthcare: care professionals’ perspectives145615 However, in contrast to our study, concrete suggestions to improve care were scarcely provided in those studies. Only one study of which we are aware focuses on GPs’ views on primary MH care for people with ID. 1 In that interview study, GPs also experienced problems in referring patients, and, as in our study, they described knowledge of the patients’ background, continuity in the GP–patient relationship, and interdisciplinary meetings as helpful in providing optimal care. Our results also resemble those of a systematic qualitative review study that focused on general MH care for people with ID by a broad range of MH care professionals, including GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and nurses. 15 That study also described the complexity of patient problem presentation and high service demands, the extensive carer resources and time required, and the emotional effects (e.g., feeling alone) on care professionals. Implications for research and practice Several opportunities that may improve care were revealed and are elaborated on in the following. Firstly, recognising and establishing MID in patients, and taking into account the MID throughout the MH trajectory, is of upmost importance. 16 This is preferably done as early as possible in a person’s life and not solely as a task of a GP, but also of teachers, paediatricians, and social care professionals in the public health domain. This means that it is important to invest in training programmes on MID recognition not only for GPs, but also for other professionals who may encounter this patient group. Those training programmes should focus on screening tools for MID, for example SCIL and HASI, 17, 18 and also on conversational techniques on how to discuss a suspected MID with a patient. When a formal IQ test is required, this test should be easily accessible, with clarity about local test locations and financing.Secondly, on the GP-practice organisational level, two aspects will contribute to a good, sustainable doctor–patient relationship: (1) optimal continuity in care provided in the practice by the same person 19; (2) registering the MID and additional communication needs in the patient’s file. This can act as a reminder for the practitioner’s assistant to schedule Katrien Pouls sHL.indd 145 24-06-2024 16:26