Better Access to mental health care for eligible practitioners and allied health professionals

The purpose of the Better Access initiative is to improve treatment and management of mental illness within the community. The aim is to provide patients with access to mental health professionals and team-based mental health care. Under this initiative, Medicare benefits are available to patients for selected mental health services provided by:

• general practitioners (GPs)
• non-vocationally recognised medical practitioners (non-VR MPs)
• psychiatrists
• clinical psychologists
• registered psychologists, and
• appropriately trained social workers and occupational therapists.

GP Mental Health Treatment Medicare items

For further information on GP Mental Health Treatment Medicare items, visit the Department of Health.

The items provide a structured framework for GPs to undertake early intervention, assessment and management of patients with mental disorders, as well as providing referral pathways to clinical psychologists, registered psychologists, and appropriately trained social workers and occupational therapists.

From Australian Department of Human Services.