Better Access to Mental Health Care
Overview
The new Medicare services promote a team approach to mental health care, with general practitioners encouraged to work with psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and other allied mental health professionals to increase the availability of care.
Objectives
- GPs to access the Medicare rebate to develop a mental health care plan for patients with mental illness.
- GPs to access the Medicare rebates to provide continuing management of patients with a mental illness.
- GPs to enable patient access to psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and other allied mental health professionals through the use of the new Medicare rebates.
- GPs to benefit from a multidisciplinary approach to mental health care for their patients.
Program Details
Medicare rebates are available for GPs to provide early intervention, assessment and management of patients with mental disorders as part of a GP Mental Health Care Plan. A GP Mental Health Care Consultation item is also available for GPs to provide continuing management of patients with mental disorders.
The Medicare items also aim to support psychiatrist to see new patients. The Medicare items for psychiatrists are 291 and 293. GPs refer patients to a psychiatrist for an assessment and development of a management plan. After the initial review the 293 item supports the review of the management plan. See the GLAS program for more information to support GP referrals.
Medicare items are available to provide rebates for psychological assessment and therapy services provided by clinical psychologists. Medicare items also cover the provision of focussed psychological strategies by appropriately trained allied mental health professionals, including psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers.
Program Achievements
Better Access Modules have provided support and training for general practice to effectively implement the Better Access to Mental Health initiative. Through these Modules links have been made between psychiatrists, mental health nurses and allied health mental health professionals within the Division.
The GLAS program has enabled general practice to access timely referrals for patients with local are psychiatrists services.
Contact Us
Email: info@brisbanesouth.com.au
Phone 07 3274 1886