The Better Access initiative

Table of contents

The Better Access initiative and GP Mental Health Treatment Plans

GPMHTPs help GPs and their patients determine the level and acceptability of the intervention. Interventions may be face-to-face psychological therapy provided as part of the Better Access initiative, or may be online therapy or another low-intensity service provided within a local PHN area for patients with mild illness.

GPMHTPs provide referral for psychological services to psychologists and other allied mental health service providers. This scheme enables patients to access up to 10 individual and up to 10 group sessions per year. PHNs have facilitated greater access to services for certain underserviced groups where there are barriers to accessing MBS-based psychological intervention through the Psychological Therapies (formerly ATAPS) program.

Using GPMHTP templates can ensure that a GP covers all aspects in developing the best treatment for their patient. Templates are available in most practice software systems including Medical Director, Best Practice and Genie Solutions, or can be found on the GPMHSC website.

Box 1. What are the benefits to the GP of developing a GPMHTP?
Developing a GPMHTP: provides continuity and a ‘cycle of care’ for a patient with a mental illness provides a structured way to perform an early intervention as well as accurately assess and manage a patient with mental illness helps coordinate the patient’s care, identify holistic needs and provide appropriate referrals to clinical psychologists and allied mental health service providers ensures that the patient and, where possible, their carer/s are actively involved in the patient’s treatment enables the GP to engage the patient in conversation around the issues concerning them enables periodic review of the care plan and outcomes with the patient and carer/s.

Box 1. What are the benefits to the GP of developing a GPMHTP?

Developing a GPMHTP:

provides continuity and a ‘cycle of care’ for a patient with a mental illness
provides a structured way to perform an early intervention as well as accurately assess and manage a patient with mental illness
helps coordinate the patient’s care, identify holistic needs and provide appropriate referrals to clinical psychologists and allied mental health service providers
ensures that the patient and, where possible, their carer/s are actively involved in the patient’s treatment
enables the GP to engage the patient in conversation around the issues concerning them
enables periodic review of the care plan and outcomes with the patient and carer/s.

There will be instances when access to psychological therapies through the Better Access initiative is not the most appropriate way to address patient needs. The Better Access initiative is generally targeted at patients with moderate illness and is only one approach to deliver mental health care.

A GPMHTP is still recommended to assist GPs and their patients determine the level and acceptability of an intervention – which might not be face-to-face psychological therapy but may be online therapy or another low-intensity service provided within a local PHN area for patients with mild illness. Care coordination or disability support services may be appropriate for people with severe mental illness.

The GPMHTP review process allows for adjustment of care and transitioning patients from one step to another in either direction. While not formally part of the MBS GPMHTP specifications, some patients will benefit from social support services available through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) and PHN commissioning.

PHN stepped care services may accept provisional referrals (ie accept a referral without a GPMHTP on the proviso one will be completed at a more appropriate time) into psychological therapies in urgent situations (eg involving those affected by domestic violence), with the aim to link back later to the GP.

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Working with the Stepped Care Model