You must:

• have completed Level 1 Mental Health Skills Training (MHST)*
• be working in general practice.

*Accredited by the General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC).

Until 30 September 2023, the General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) is offering GPs a training subsidy that covers part of the cost of completing accredited Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPS ST).

Eligible GPs will be reimbursed $600 once they complete the requirements for the Accessible FPS ST package and register as GP providers of FPS with Services Australia.

For more information on the FPS training subsidy, including eligibility criteria and how to apply, visit the GPMHSC website.

For Queensland GPs only – RACGP Queensland is offering a number of limited places for Queensland GPs in Modified Monash Model (MMM) 2–7 the opportunity to complete Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPS ST).

Each training package ($1,279 incl. GST) will fully fund members to complete RACGP Rural’s Online FPS ST. This program is funded by the generosity of a Northern Australia Primary Health Limited (NAPHL) grant.

For more information on the NAPHL grant, including eligibility criteria, visit the RACGP Queensland website.

Places are limited so submit an expression of interest today to secure your fully funded placement.

The training package is comprised of four modules:

Module 1: Clinical audit – Antidepressant prescribing in general practice
This structured clinical audit activity enables GPs to review their use of antidepressant medications against best practice guidelines, consider non-pharmacological treatment options, and use this information to develop and implement quality improvement strategies in their clinical practice.

Module 2: Cognitive behavioural therapy skills for general practice
This online module, completed via the gplearning platform, equips participants to understand the theory and practice of CBT and how it can be applied to the treatment of common issues like depression and anxiety.

Module 3: Case consultation
Participants will begin applying what they have learned by providing CBT - derived FPS counselling to patients in their usual practice while being supported via online/teleconference peer group case consultation sessions lead by an experienced GP provider of FPS. GP participants will be allocated to a case-based discussion group and will be required to participate in a minimum of three of the four allocated case-based discussion teleconference sessions (these are typically held fortnightly from 7:30-9:30 pm AEDT on a weeknight).

Module 4: Mental health consumer and carer perspective
In this module, GPs will participate in a facilitated webinar in which both a mental health consumer and carer are interviewed about their lived experiences, providing valuable insight to GPs treating mental health conditions.

The online training package has GPMHSC accreditation and on completion GPs can register with Medicare as FPS providers and access FPS related MBS numbers 2721, 2723, 2725 and 2727.

For more information on becoming a GP provider of FPS, please visit the GPMHSC website.