More Aussies access mental health services
Record numbers of Australians are receiving mental health treatment according to an evaluation released, however there are still some groups who are not accessing the services they need.
Minister for Mental Health and Ageing, Mark Butler, said while treatment rates for people with mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression have improved from 35% in 2007 to an estimated 46% in 2010, many young people, men, people living in rural and remote areas and people in areas of high socio-economic disadvantage were still missing out.
These are among the findings of a significant evaluation of the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (Better Access) initiative released by Mr Butler.
The evaluation also found that:
- from 2007 to 2009, over two million people received more than 11.1 million mental health services;
- around half of all Better Access consumers may be new, not only to Better Access but to mental health care more generally;
- the initiative was providing value for money for those it reached; and
- consumers experienced clinically significant reductions in levels of psychological distress and symptom severity upon completing treatment.
Current investment in the Better Access has been $1.45 billion from 2006-7 to the end of 2009-10.
Mr Butler said that the evaluation findings are encouraging, especially on access and improvements to treatment rates for common mental disorders. But they also point to some areas that are of particular concern and that echo the feedback received from the mental health forums held late last year.
“We still need to do more for those people who are continuing to miss out on much needed mental health care and it is also vital we focus our efforts on getting the right care to the most vulnerable in our society.”
