Plea to up psych help

THE Australian Association of Psychologists (AAPi) is calling on the federal government to provide patients up to 40 rebated sessions a year amid high demand for services locally.

The government has doubled the annual cap for subsidised psychology sessions from 10 to 20 until June next year due to Covid.

Laura Lee, a psychologist at Hopscotch and Harmony in Belmont and AAPi member, said allowing 40 rebated sessions a year would ensure those in need had ongoing and adequate access to mental health services, helping patients establish an ongoing and productive relationship with psychologists, resulting in better long-term treatment outcomes and improved wellbeing.

Ms Lee said waiting lists at most private clinics in Geelong were around three to six months.

“The impacts of Covid-19 have seen an increase in demand for mental health services, but also in some ways, there has been a really positive normalisation of people saying, ‘I’m not doing that great’ and reaching out for support,” she said.

Ms Lee said solutions to help ease the burden on the mental health system also included making access to services easier through self-referral, while still being eligible to claim a Medicare rebate.

A Health Department spokeswoman said mental health and suicide prevention remained one of the federal government’s highest priorities.

“Through the 2021-22 budget, the government is investing a record $2.3bn in the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan to lead landmark reform,” she said.

“This builds on the estimated $5.8bn in 2020-21, taking the total estimated health portfolio investment in mental health and suicide prevention services and supports in 2021-22 to a record high $6.5bn – doubling since 2012-13.

“Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) rebates recognise the different levels of training and experience of both medical and allied health practitioners across different areas.”

She said the government was providing $2m to review the Better Access rebate scheme after a Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health.

“The evaluation will also consider the optimum number of sessions required to improve patient outcomes and the appropriateness and effectiveness of current treatment planning mechanisms and referral pathways,” she said.