The Australian Doctor has reported Medicare statistics today showing a sharp decline in GP referrals of mental health patients to psychological services. The latest figures from Medicare Australia indicate that referrals of patients with mental health disorders to psychologists dropped by 10,150 referrals by comparison to the previous month, since the Federal Government cuts to the program were introduced. Comparing the November 2011 figures to November 2010, the trend is even more severe, with a reduction of 11,728 referrals. Although these findings are preliminary, they confirm the reports we have been hearing from both mental health consumers and practitioners, who have been finding it much more difficult to access Medicare-funded psychological treatment. These figures are troubling, because the potential implication is that thousands of Australians with a mental health disorder are no longer receiving appropriate treatment.
Since the Federal Government went ahead with the cuts in November 2011, consumers have been reporting difficulties in finding a GP who will refer them to see a psychologists, social worker, or OT, for psychological services. Some clients have been told that they will have to wait up to 12 months from their original referral to have their ongoing treatment renewed. Therapists are also reporting confusion about the new system, being given little or no information by Medicare Australia about how the introduced changes should be managed. For those who cannot afford to fund their own treatment, the cuts to services have brought therapy to an abrupt end, with many saying that they wont bother accessing the program again with the Government offering only 10 appointments. This is of great concern to mental health professionals, who warn that many people will find that their condition may deteriorate without appropriate care.
Want to help?
Oppose the cuts to psychological services by signing our petition at at CommunityRun and Change.org. You can also join in discusison about this important issue on our Facebook Group.
If you would like to email your concerns to a politician, you might start by taking this directly to Prime Minister Julia Gillard: http://www.pm.gov.au/contact-your-pm/. You can also send an eail to the Mark Butler, the Minister for Mental Health, or Concetta Fierravanti-Wells, the Shadow Minister for Mental Health, or Senator Penny Wright, senator for The Greens on Mental Health. Make your message loud and clear – ten sessions is not enough. Every voice makes a difference!
Your comments are welcome below