A new nationwide survey alarmingly finds about 60% of patients have worsened mental health. This concerning trend is leading Australian GPs to take a second look at how they are providing care. Dr. Wright points out that 71% of GPs agree that mental health is among the first of patients to visit them. This trend magnifies the challenges of health care complexity in Australia. This frightening trend has increased a staggering 10% since the inception of the survey in 2017. This more than doubled increase underscores the urgent need for effective interventions.
Mental health has quickly become a major issue for patients with anxiety and depression leading the way, impacting people of all ages and backgrounds. The increasing incidence of these conditions is adding further strain to GPs. Not surprisingly, appointment times have increased, with the average now being just under 20 minutes. This extension is probably connected to the complex nature of mental health visits, with more need for guidance and stewardship.
Dr. Raman stresses the need for more accessible care to prevent a more acute mental health crisis in the future. He supports proactive approaches through early intervention strategies that greatly reduce the risk of serious complications arising from untreated mental health issues. The federal government has acknowledged the urgency of this issue. They’ve committed election funding for a silver bullet of additional bulk-billing mental health services to address mental health needs. These changes are planned to be implemented on November 1st.
Alongside these funding increases, introduction of new Medicare item numbers will allow for regular reviews of mental health treatment plans. Dr Nicholls has welcomed these measures. He thinks they may well be key to solving the mental health crisis that so many Australians are experiencing. Even so, Dr. Wright is the first to admit that much work remains to be done. We can’t simply deploy technocratic fixes from inside a healthcare silo.
Our annual survey has provided a disturbing trend. Almost two-thirds (63%) of GPs who aren’t White British have encountered racism in patient care. This disheartening truth weighs heavily upon practitioners’ mental health. Consequently, it can affect their ability to deliver high quality care to their patients. In fact, almost 1 in 3 GPs have witnessed racism towards patients in the health system over the last year. This new, perplexing trend unfortunately just pours salt into the increasingly complicated wounds that healthcare providers and recipients are already tackling.
Dr Wright points to a deeply concerning statistic — almost 40% of Australia’s disease burden is preventable. This picture extends to mental health, encompassing a growing prevalence of depression and anxiety. He’s calling for a complete transformation of the way we fund healthcare. At present, Australia only spends 2% of its health budget on prevention – less than other similar countries. He strongly supports a multi-faceted approach that promotes prevention and early intervention as cornerstones of quality patient-centered healthcare.
We’re glad to have a member on board who shares this belief, Dr. Scamps. He highlights that prevention and early management can be the most effective strategies for patients experiencing increasing mental health concerns. The involvement of Healthcare Providers is crucial for addressing those most at risk of developing mental health conditions. They do this by focusing on smart, proactive strategies over reactive, end of the line treatments.
