Mental Health

Overview

Objectives

Partners

Achievements

Resources and Links

Contact Officers

Overview

The role of General Practice Tasmania is to provide informed representation and advocacy on behalf of our members in relation to Statewide and National issues.  This includes provision of timely feedback to proactively influence State and National primary mental health care policy development and service reform and to facilitate communication, collaboration, support and training across our network of organisations.

General Practice Tasmania is involved in strategic work developing the important role of general practice in primary mental health care, including mental health drug and alcohol comorbidity.  As 80% of people with mental health problems present to  a GP it is clear that general practice and the Divisions network have a key role to play in mental health service delivery and promoting population mental health. The Mental Health Development and Liaison Officer (MHDLO) and the Comorbidity Coordinator focus on strategic linkages with the State Department of Health and Human Services  and other key stakeholders including their member Divisions of General Practice and other non-government organisations.

The role of the mental health team is to provide and maintain an increased focus on mental health and wellbeing under the Divisions of General Practice Program including:

• ongoing support to divisions for existing programs in which general practitioners and other primary health care clinicians (for example, community nurses, psychologists, social workers, occupational therapists, and other allied health providers) provide mental health care to the community
• the development of sustainable partnerships between general practice, divisions and specialist mental health and mental health drug and alcohol comorbidity services at a State level  including liaison through the national networks
• Support for Divisions to deliver quality mental health education, resources and support for General Practitioners and mental health clinicians
• Enhanced access by General Practitioners to psychiatrists, psychologists and other relevant services
• Access to information regarding Tasmanian Government initiatives
• Fostering the development of primary care programs in which general practitioners and mental health professionals provide shared mental health care

Developing strategies that enhance the role of general practitioners and other primary care providers in delivering mental health care, particularly in rural and remote areas.

Program Objectives

The Mental Health Program coordinates both Commonwealth and State government mental health initiatives aimed at promoting the effective management of mental health issues in the primary care setting. Some of the issues relating to mental health include mental illness, perinatal depression, suicide prevention and mental health drug and alcohol comorbidity. The  main mental health care initiatives currently within the GPT mental health program include:

Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care Initiative (BOiMHCI) which commenced in 2001 with the aim of improving the quality of care provided through general practice to people with a mental illness. It included education and training for GPs to familiarise GPs with the Initiative and to increase mental health skills and a 3-step mental health process of an assessment, a mental health plan and a review, which attracted a Service Incentive Payment (SIP).

The program comprises two components:

1. Access to Allied Psychological Services which enables GPs to refer consumers to allied health professionals who deliver focused psychological strategies.

2. GP Psych Support which provides GPs with access to patient management advice from psychiatrists. Better Access to Psychologists, Psychiatrists and GPs through the Medical Benefits Schedule (MBS) was introduced in 2006 and encourages a team-based multidisciplinary approach in mental health care and increased training options for GPs to improve their detection of mental illness and quality services. The introduction of Better Access maintained the need for a mental health care plan but the BOiMHI SIP payment was replaced by an MBS item number.

Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) commenced in 2002 and enables GPs to refer patients, who have been diagnosed as having a mental health disorder, to an allied health professional to provide low cost focussed psychological strategies for up to six time-limited sessions with an option for up to a further six sessions following a mental health review by the referring GP.

The More allied Health Services (MAHS) Program complements and supports other health workforce and service measures announced in the Australian Government’s Rural Health Strategy and provides additional services to rural communities. The Program aims to improve the health of people living in rural areas through allied health care, with linkages between allied health care and general practice.

Mental Health Nurse Incentives Program (MHNIP) provides incentives for the engagement of mental health nurses in general practice, private psychiatry practice and other appropriate organisations to assist people with serious mental illness to receive better coordinated treatment and care, with the psychiatrist or GP and provide services such as home visiting, medication management, and improving links to other health professionals.

The National Comorbidity Initiative was funded in 2003-04 to improve service coordination and treatment for people with mental health and alcohol and other drug comorbidity.  This initiative aims to benefit people with comorbidity through raising awareness of comorbidity and support to  clinicians, health workers and promote best practice models.  Strategies include:

• The Primary Health Care Comorbidity Pilot Network PHCCPN  (funded through AGPN from DoHA)

• Building on ‘Can Do’ Grants Program

• Funds to six services in Tasmania through DoHA, to improve identification and treatment of comorbidity and to the Alcohol Tobacco and other Drug Council to strengthen the non government alcohol tobacco and other drug sector.

The PHCCPN Coordinator will build partnerships with the alcohol and other drug sector at a national and State level to encourage a multidisciplinary approach to the management of people with comorbidity. The main aspects to this work include:

At the national level, participation in the network includes quarterly meetings with Comorbidity coordinators from each state and territory to support and share information in the interest of national consistency.

In Tasmania, a Memorandum of Understanding has been developed to strengthen the relationship with the peak body, Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drug Council and there will be collaboration with Department of Health and Human Services and other non government organisations in the mental health and alcohol and drug sectors.

The pilot project will also build upon the  partnership with divisions to support a multidisciplinary approach to comorbidity in general practice and ensure collaboration with  General Practice South in the implementation of their Building on ‘Can Do’ project funded by AGPN.

Partners

General Practice Tasmania has partnerships with the following organisations in the Mental Health program:

• Tasmanian Divisions of General Practice
• Australian Department of Health and Ageing
• Tasmanian Department of Health and Human Services
• Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drugs Council of Tasmania and its member organisations
• Australian General Practice Network (AGPN)
• Mental Health Council of Tasmania

Achievements

Achievements within the Mental Health program include:

Ongoing liaison with Divisions of General Practice, Department of Health and Human Services, Mental Health Services, Alcohol and Drug Services, Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, and other non-government organisation stakeholders about their activities, needs and support requirements.

Participate (on behalf of the GPT Network) as a member of various mental health and alcohol and drug related committees with a statewide interest.

Coordination of regular meetings between the Mental Health program officers in the three Divisions in Tasmania. This statewide network has national links and provides resources and information sharing, support and innovation, and has been crucial in the implementation of state and national initiatives across the whole of Tasmania. Division program officers have developed strategic links at the local level and using their specific knowledge of their region, are able to quickly and effectively tailor programs to suit local conditions.

Work with the Australian Divisions of General Practice National Primary Mental Health Care Coordinator and Comorbidity Coordinator as part of the Primary Mental Health Care Network and the Primary Health Care Comorbidity Network Pilot Program.

Collaborate with key stakeholders and participate in the planning and implementation of the program and activities for Mental Health Week, which is held across the State in October each year.

PLEASE NOTE:

If you are a consumer or carer seeking advice/assistance in regard to a mental health issue please contact your general practitioner.

Contact Officer(s)