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General discussion173Box 7.5. Recommendations to improve evidence- and experience-based care for patients with both mild intellectual disabilities and mental health problemsWhat practitioners can doy Register mild intellectual disability (MID) in the medical file properly, so that patients with MID can be identified by researchersy Follow postgraduate training programmes on patients with MID, with and without mental health (MH) problemsy Know where additional knowledge and experience can be obtained in their practice and/or regionWhat practitioners’ and patients’ networks can doy Ensure that intellectual disability (ID) physicians in practitioners’ networks are easily accessible for consultationsWhat health policymakers can doy Ensure that relevant MH guidelines and tools are available within the existing GP guideline structuresy Develop appendices for existing general practitioner (GP) guidelines regarding MH problems with specific recommendations and considerations for patients with MIDy Support development of a GP guideline on recognition, screening, addressing, diagnosing, acknowledging, and registering (M)ID in their patientsy Include patient educators in the general medical, GP, MH nurse practitioner curriculum and postgraduate training to enhance practitioner experience with this patient groupy Offer and promote opportunities for internships in the field of ID careWhat researchers can doy Include patients with (M)ID in scientific researchy Conduct more research on various fronts, including:- The challenges experienced by practitioners in accurate MH diagnosis- The applicability of existing NHG guidelines for MH problems for patients with MID- The added value of ID nurse practitioners as a supplement for the lack of practitioners’ knowledge and experienceDomain-transcending collaborative care Collaboration in primary MH care Collaboration in (mental) healthcare is increasingly emphasized by the Dutch government and has led to the Integral Care Agreement. 55 This agreement aims to provide good, accessible, and affordable care and support for patients. Collaboration between various partners, including GPs, the social domain, and specialized services, is central to this initiative.55 This agreement aligns with the Dutch GPs’ core value of collaborative care provision1 and the Dutch vison document ‘Primary care for patients with MH problems’. 56 In patients with both MID and MH problems, collaboration 7Katrien Pouls sHL.indd 173 24-06-2024 16:26