Family doctors say Budget cuts seriously disadvantage mental health patients
AMA Family Doctor Week 18-24 July 2011
An AMA survey shows that 85 per cent of GPs believe fewer patients will receive vital mental health care as a result of Medicare patient rebate cuts in the 2011-12 Federal Budget.
The changes would see more than $400 million slashed from the Better Access Program, with rebates for GP mental health services being cut by up to 50 per cent.
The survey, conducted for the AMA by Essential Research, found that, as a result of the Budget cuts, up to half the surveyed GPs would be forced to charge patients a gap fee for GP mental health services, whereas most patients currently face no out-of-pocket costs.
Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra today, AMA President, Dr Steve Hambleton, said the results confirm that the Government’s decision to cut Medicare rebates will affect patients with a mental illness by making access to vital services less affordable.
“The AMA has consistently expressed its concerns over the impact of these changes on some of the most disadvantaged people in our community, and these results support the AMA’s arguments,” Dr Hambleton said.
“Family doctors are at the frontline in tackling mental illness, which affects one in five Australian adults each year.
“The excellent health care provided by family doctors extends beyond the consultation to the significant time they spend on non-face-to-face work to prepare a GP Mental Health Plan.”
The AMA’s survey found that the average time taken by GPs to prepare a mental health plan during and outside a consultation is 52 minutes, not the 28 minutes that the Government has used to justify its decision to cut mental health rebates. If the cuts go ahead, 58 per cent of GPs say they would be forced to spend less time with patients with mental health problems.
“The Government must overturn any measures that reduce funding for mental health care in general practice,” Dr Hambleton said.
More than 760 GPs took part in the AMA’s online poll, with 540 GPs providing additional comments that were very critical of the Government’s decision. The full report is available at http://ama.com.au/node/6920
The AMA has also launched an online petition to further pressure the Government to reverse its decision. More than 2135 people have signed the petition, which is available at http://ama.com.au/node/6870
20 July 2011
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