GPs are ‘severely underfunded’ for their mental health work, says the RACGP president.
The RACGP is calling on health ministers to decouple GP Focused Psychological Support items from Better Access, increase GP consultation funding and provide supplementary funding to disadvantaged areas, where GPs do much of the heavy lifting.
In Australia, one in seven children and one in five adults experienced a mental health disorder in the last year.
“Any GP can tell you we have an epidemic of mental health conditions in Australia,” said RACGP president Dr Michael Wright.
“Mental health issues are the top type of presentation among our patients, and we’re usually their first point of contact when they need support.”
As the entry point to the system, and often the most or only point of access, GPs take on a substantial subsection of mental health work.
“Australia’s shortfall of 10,750 psychiatric inpatient beds leaves too many patients and families with mental health care needs with nowhere to go, even in major regional cities,” said Dr Wright.
“Systemic change is needed.
“Specialist GPs can help our patients access much of the care they need in the community, and support patients in managing a broad range of mental and physical health needs.
“The government must address funding failures preventing patients from getting the mental health care they need via their usual GP.”
As such, the college is calling on the government to increase Medicare rebates for GP mental health consults, and all long consults, siphon specific funding towards general practices in underprivileged areas and decouple GP FPS items from the Better Access initiative.
“Specialist GPs are on the frontline of mental health care, and provide consistent, accessible care for our patients,” said Dr Wright.
“Among the 3.4 million Australians who saw a health professional for mental health in 2020 to 2022, 71% consulted with a GP.
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“The fact is, we can’t address Australia’s mental health crisis without adequate funding for patients to access general practice.
“Specialist GPs are ready and able to identify issues early and provide the support our patients need.”
Dr Wright said GP mental health support was particularly important for those with lower wages.
“For patients on lower incomes, there’s a severe lack of affordable mental health care, and limited effective community support,” he said.
“Patients frequently can’t access urgent psychiatric care when they need it, and often depend on their GPs for advice and support.
“In many parts of Australia, and particularly in rural areas, your GP is very often the only medical professional available to provide mental health care.
“Yet despite the need for and value of this work, it’s severely underfunded.
“Mental health consultations by GPs are funded less than other types of care we deliver, despite these appointments typically taking longer than other consultations.”
The calls from the college precede a report by immediate past AMA President Professor Steve Robson and ANU head of psychiatry Associate Professor Jeffrey Looi showing an $8 billion deficit in funding for healthcare including general practice, social services and housing, according to the college.
