World Mental Health Day

‘The prevalence of mental illness in Australia is alarmingly common,’ RACGP President Dr Bastian Seidel said. ‘GPs have a unique relationship with their patients, based on trust, that is essential to treating it.’
 
The RACGP’s General practice: Health of the nation 2017, which surveyed primary healthcare professionals from all over Australia, also found GPs consider mental health to be the issue of most concern for the future, and one of the three policy areas they would most like to see prioritised by the Federal Government.
 
‘This is a clear warning of both the current frequency and future potential impact of psychological ailments on individuals, the community and the broader health sector,’ Dr Seidel said.
 
The Federal Government, meanwhile, has pledged an annual investment of $4 billion into mental health. Part of this investment was realised today with the launch of a new digital mental health gateway, Head to Health, planned to coincide with World Mental Health Day. The service provides a one-stop-shop through which people can access resources and support from many of Australia’s mental health service providers, such as headspace and beyondblue.
 
The RACGP also provides a number of resources to help inform and guide GPs on treating patients experiencing issues of mental health:

• gplearning offers a range of CPD activities in the area of mental health, from learning about cognitive behavioural therapy to managing youth mental health.
• The General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) is dedicated to ensuring high-quality GP education and training in mental health.
• The RACGP provides clinical guidelines for the use of e-mental health.
• The National guide to a preventive health assessment for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people contains a section on mental health.

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