Depression, Co-Morbidity and Integrated Care

The purpose of this white paper is to describe a new integrated, collaborative and transdiagnostic approach to the care provided to people living with both depression and a co-occurring mental and/or physical illness. This includes the promotion of improved consumer partnerships to increase consumer self-efficacy and to recommend actions to educate and support healthcare providers. This white paper outlines and addresses existing gaps in service for health consumers and identifies opportunities to build integrated models of care through collaboration between university and public and private health providers, informed by the lived experience of consumers. We highlight how Western Sydney University's multi-disciplinary research can support and enable health services, communities and policy makers to address the diverse and complex needs of people living with both depression and another mental and/or physical illness in Western Sydney and beyond.