Professional Certificate in Primary Care (Mental Health)

The programme is primarily targeted towards physicians / health and social care professionals with an interest in mental health, especially those working in:

• Primary Care
• General Practice
• Psychiatry 
• Addiction 
• Emergency Medicine
• Non-Governmental Organisations involved in the care of patients with mental health problems.

The programme includes both theoretical and professional practice elements, with an emphasis on clinical care. This will allow students to learn about assessment and approaches to care of patients with mental health problems, especially the acute and continuing care of common mental health and substance use disorders across the lifespan. A professional certificate will be awarded to students who have completed the programme.

The programme will be taught over one trimester, part time. It will be primarily delivered through online and self-directed learning to allow students to work at their own pace, at a time that is convenient. There will be a ‘live’ weekly webinar (which students can view at their convenience if necessary) and 1-2 one-day workshops on campus. This flexible, practitioner-focused approach to course delivery takes account of and caters for time and work pressures experienced by busy clinicians.

Applicants should:

• Hold an undergraduate degree (or equivalent) in a relevant subject (e.g., Medicine, Nursing & Midwifery, Psychology, Public Health, Social Sciences etc.)

Or

• Possess an equivalent professional qualification  

Or

• Have relevant clinical experience in mental health, primary care, social care.

This programme is currently open for applications and the next intake is May 2023. To apply for this programme, please submit a direct application. A detailed, step-by step guide to the online application process is available on the registry page.

Course programme code:

X971 for the Professional Certificate

The School welcomes applications from eligible international applicants. For more information on studying at UCD as an international student please see UCD Global website.

If you have any problems or queries with the online application process, email: onlineapps@ucd.ie or telephone: + 353 1 716 1476.

To participate fully in this online programme, we recommend that participants have:

• PC or a laptop with an up-to-date operating system
• High Speed Broadband (minimum of 4MB download and 1MB upload speed)
• Access to a modern standard-compliant web browser.
• Camera for Zoom 

For more information on course fees please visit UCD Fees & Grants Office website.

We are fortunate to have many colleagues, with diverse and wide-ranging areas of expertise, who have contributed to the development and delivery of the programme, including:

• Dr Anna Beug, General Practitioner & UCD School of Medicine
• Prof Mary Clarke, Consultant Psychiatrist, St John of God
• Dr Nia Clendennen, General Practitioner & Assistant Professor / Lecturer, UCD School of Medicine
• Prof Des Crowley, General Practitioner & Assistant Director Substance Misuse Programme, Irish College of General Practitioners
• Prof Walter Cullen, General Practitioner & Professor of Urban General Practice, UCD School of Medicine
• Prof Anne Doherty, Consultant Psychiatrist & Associate Professor, UCD School of Medicine
• Dr Leonard Douglas, Consultant Psychiatrist, St Vincent’s University Hospital
• Prof Blanaid Gavin, Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist & Associate Professor UCD School of Medicine
• Prof Allys Guerandel, Consultant Psychiatrist, St Vincent’s University Hospital & UCD Clinical Professor
• Dr Gautam Gulati, Consultant Psychiatrist, Health Services Executive
• Dr Anthony Heffernan, General Practitioner, Mallow Primary Healthcare Centre & Assistant Professor, UCD School of Medicine
• Dr Anthony Hoban, General Practitioner & Assistant Professor, UCD School of Medicine
• Dr Kevin Kilbride, Consultant Psychiatrist, Health Services Executive
• Dr Kevin Lally, Senior Registrar in Psychiatry Health Services Executive
• Prof Abbie Lane, Consultant Psychiatrist & Associate Professor at UCD
• Dr Sheila Loughman, General Practitioner & Assistant Professor, UCD School of Medicine
• Dr Caroline Maher, Consultant Psychiatrist St Vincent’s Hospital, Adult Eating Disorders Service Dublin South/Wicklow
• Prof Anthony McCarthy, Consultant Psychiatrist, St Vincent’s University Hospital
• Dr Susan Moore, Consultant Liaison Psychiatrist, St Vincent’s University Hospital
• Dr Amr Niazi, Consultant Psychiatrist Health Services Executive & HSE National Clinical Advisor and Clinical Group Lead (Mental Health)
• Dr Brian Osborne, General Practitioner & Assistant Medical Director, Irish College of General Practitioners
• Dr Austin O’Carroll, General Practitioner & Founder Safetynet Ireland
• Dr Barry O'Donnell, Psychotherapist and Director of Psychotherapy Programmes, UCD School of Medicine
• Dr Daragh O’Neill, General Practitioner & Adjunct Associate Clinical Professor, UCD School of Medciine
• Dr Andree Rochfort, General Practitioner and Director of Doctors Health Programme, Irish College of General Practitioners
• Dr Vincent Russell, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, RCSI
• Dr Edyta Truskowska, Consultant Psychiatrist in Community Mental Health, Elm Mount Mental Health Services & St Vincent’s University Hospital

Programme Management Team

Development and delivery of the Programme is being led by:


Prof Allys Guerandel
Consultant Psychiatrist and Clinical Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health Research SVUH and UCD

Dr Anna Beug
General practitioner, GP Trainer with the North Dublin City GP training scheme, Lecturer UCD School of Medicine

I am a GP with over 20 years’ experience and a GP trainer. I have extensive experience of teaching in the areas of Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Adult Mental Health and Communication Skills. I have worked extensively with groups of GP trainers, GP trainees and undergraduates.

I deliver interactive seminars in Child and Adolescent Mental Health as part of the programme.

I am particularly interested in bringing a primary care focus to my teaching which addresses the specific challenges of delivering high quality mental health care in general practice.

Prof Walter Cullen
General Practitioner & Professor of Urban General Practice, UCD School of Medicine

I am a general practitioner with an interest in medical education and the care of patients with mental health and substance use disorders. I am delighted to be part of the multidisciplinary team who developed this programme.

I am responsible for academic governance and oversight, liaison with clinical sites, assessment, student feedback, course evaluation.

Prof Anne Doherty
Consultant Psychiatrist & Associate Professor, UCD School of Medicine

Dr Blanaid Gavin
Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and Associate Professor, UCD School of Medicine

I have a special interest in the early recognition and treatment of mental health difficulties in young people and have worked with a broad range of agencies to promote awareness of mental health needs of young people.

I am well published on a variety of topics related to children’s mental health and have co -authored a mental health handbook for teachers in addition to the ICGP National Guidelines on children’s mental health and the national guidelines on psychosis.

Dr Anthony Hoban
General Practitioner & Assistant Professor / Lecturer in General Practice, UCD School of Medicine
I am a GP with a keen interest in mental health in the primary care setting. I have been involved in studying the mental health needs of vulnerable populations in Dublin’s inner city and have primary care liaison services in the community.

I have lectured on addiction, depression, sleep disorders and understanding distress in the context of decision making. I am one of the module co-ordinators and will be involved in assessment and feedback. I look forward to helping students on the programme.

For further course information: