Message from Chair
 

Hello from the General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC), and welcome to the spring edition of our newsletter.

 
Mental Health Standards Update 2026 - 2028
 

The GPMHSC has been working hard on finalising the Mental health training standards 2026–28: A guide for training providers and Mental health training standards 2026–28: A guide for GPs.

The newest edition features a more streamlined structure, including a concise list of topics for reference when searching for CPD activities and the inclusion of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health care recommendations, of which new training activities will be required to implement for accreditation. This is an important inclusion to support our commitment to closing the gap.

 
Changes to the Better Access Initiative

On 1 November 2025, changes will be introduced to the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) initiative.

These changes include the removal of mental health training numbers 2712 and 2713. As these changes affect many GPs, we would like to hear your feedback. Please feel free to email us with your comments on these new changes.
You can read more about the changes here.

 
Specific Populations Project Update

The GPMHSC has also nearly completed Specific Populations project, with the resources currently in the final stage of development. These resources will cover a variety of helpful and relevant information about 5 specific populations including Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islanders, refugees, culturally and linguistically diverse, LGBTQ+, and veterans.
We will be sharing the resources soon, so keep and eye out in our future communications.

 
GPMHSC at Conferences

GPMHSC will be attending GP25 in Brisbane and we look forward to connecting further to discuss the changes to Better Access Initiative, our focused psychological strategies subsidies, our most recent projects and more.

Assoc Prof Morton Rawlin
Chair, GPMHSC