Topic Tuesday // What is mental health reform and why is it important for you // Feb 14, 7-9pm AEDT

[Former-Member]

Why is mental health care rationed?

[Zoe7]

So what is being done to recognise MH issues as the same as any other illness - and what impact will this have on access to services.

[FrankGQuinlan]

@Andra we have argued ver strongly for consumer and carer "co-design" in the reform process

Consumers and carers with their own voice in the reform process.  Telling it like it is, and helping to design the solutions of the future.

And yes, proper accountability and transparency is essential to future success

[Phoenix_Rising]

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@FrankGQuinlan wrote:

I am sorry if you think we lack ideas - we put a lot of ideas to governments.

We certainly do lack resources...

What ideas would you like to see us taking forward? Things we are not doing already?

Keen to understand your concerns 🙂

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@FrankGQuinlan I totally get that the things we are venting about aren't actually things you can fix - you can only put the ideas to government. I think everyone involved in mental health knows that the 10 medicare funded sessions are hopelessly inadequate. I know the Australian psychological society are constantly campaigning to increase the number of sessions.

[NikNik]

Some great questions about the 10 sessions covered by medicare.

@Former-Member - what do you mean by MH care being rationed?

[MelLeighD]

Hi Frank, thanks for being a part of this chat. I have a few questions to ask. My first question involves the 2-5% disorders...the ones that aren't really focussed on at all for psychological treatment under Medicare funding. I was wondering why the parameters for receiving your 12 sessions per year under medicare are only linked to broader (comorbid) conditions like depression and anxiety? When the mental health reform is focussing especially on suicide prevention, shouldn't the disorders with the highest suicide rate (bipolar, BPD etc.) get more special attention than they are? Is this just a numbers game?

[Former-Member]

@NikNik - you can only have 10 psychologist sessions and 50 psychiatrist visits a year.

[FrankGQuinlan]

yes @Phoenix_Rising, but we are all in it together..

We can all talk to our local member of parliament! We can all write a letter to the paper...

[FrankGQuinlan]

@MelLeighD It is certainly a numbers game, and the sessions limit is mostly about rationing.

But to be honest I was not aware of rationing based on diagnosis.  I think GPs can prep a plan for any MH conditions - so people can acess the sessions

[Arjay]

I think Medicare funded about 50% of the psychologists fee, so a bit $$$$ for me.