Better Access to Mental Health Care Initiative

Overview of the Program

Welcome to the 'Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule' initiative. This initiative aims to increase community access to general practitioners, psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and other allied mental health professionals for mental health care.

The Better Access initiative includes three new Medicare items for GPs providing mental health care:

  1. GP Mental Health Care Plan
  2. GP Mental Health Care Plan Review
  3. GP Mental Health Care Consultation

Better Access also provides GPs with new referral pathways.

  • All GPs can refer patients who are being managed under a mental health care plan through Better Access.
  • GPs can refer to Clinical Psychologists, Psychologists, Social Workers and Occupational Therapists who are registered with Medicare Australia.
  • All patients who are assessed as having a Mental Disorder as defined in the MBS are eligible for services under the initiative.
  • There are no mandatory training requirements to access the new GP items.

Training and Education

As of 1 November there will be no mandatory training requirements for GPs to refer patients through the new Better Access initiative. This includes GPs referring patients under Better Access for services through the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) projects. However, it is strongly recommended that GPs providing mental health care using the new GP Mental Health Care items have completed appropriate mental health training, such as training recognised through the General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration. GPs claiming Service Incentive Payments for 3 Step Mental Health process services, or providing Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS), continue to require Level 1 or Level 2 training respectively and registration with Medicare Australia.

Familiarisation Training

Completion of familiarisation training will no longer be required. In order to access Medicare items for GP Focussed Psychological Strategies, GPs will still need to complete Level 1 and Level 2 training.

3 Step Mental Health process - Service Incentive Payment

The new GP Mental Health Care items under the Better Access initiative incorporate the existing 3 Step Mental Health Process items and associated Service Incentive Payment (SIP). These existing 3 Step Mental Health process SIP items will be available until 30 April 2007 to enable GPs to complete and claim for work commenced but not finished by 1 November 2006. From 1 November 2006 GPs should use the new GP Mental Health Care items to prepare new mental health care plans for patients who require them.

Better Access to Mental Health Initiative – MBS items for mental health from 1 November 2006

Australian Divisions of General Practice have developed some easy references including a fees and rebates table, mental health care plan flowchart and patient pathways.

Medical Director Templates

Who can I contact for more information?

For additional information contact Imran Durrani Project Officer Better Access to Mental Health Initiative on 40427333 or email at idurrani@fnqrdgp.org.au.