The Federal Government has announced further negative directions for mental health care under the guise of “improving access” and systemic reforms.
The following changes are due to commence on 1 November 2025. AAPi will do everything possible to stop this further degradation of Better Access and devaluing of psychology. We will shortly announce ways members can be involved in stopping these changes.
Change 1: Eligibility and re-directing to other services
Eligibility for Better Access is changing. GPs will be provided with new guidance to assess the mental health needs of their patients with Better Access only available to people the GP assesses as having at least “moderate intensity care needs”. GPs will also be provided with guidance for other “allied health” services or free digital options instead of Better Access.
AAPi is concerned that GPs are not always in the best position to assess the mental health care needs of patients fully. This is placing further barriers to accessing appropriate levels of care.
GPs are often under significant time pressures, and their patients may not feel comfortable disclosing or may downplay the full extent of their mental health care needs in a short consultation.
AAPi is further concerned that GPs will become fearful of referring to Better Access if the guidance is too restrictive. GPs will have additional burdens of responsibility to triage the best service for the patient, and may lose sight of what psychologists can offer their patients.
Change 2: It will be harder for clients to receive a referral for Better Access
Referrals to Better Access will only be able to be made by a person’s MyMedicare-registered practice or their usual GP if they aren’t registered for MyMedicare.
The definition commonly used by Medicare to define usual GP is:
“A general practitioner, or a general practitioner working in the medical practice, which has provided the majority of primary health care to the patient over the previous twelve months and/or will be providing the majority of care to the patient over the next twelve months. “
AAPi has multiple concerns with this change.
Not all clients have a usual GP. This is particularly true for younger people aged 12-24, who also have the highest rates of mental ill health. One study has noted that less than 60% of this cohort have a regular GP. Indigenous Australians and other vulnerable and priority groups have much lower rates of GP usage.
Even if individuals do have a usual GP, not everyone can see their usual GP or attend the practice they are registered for MyMedicare. Perhaps there are extensive waiting lists, or the fees are prohibitive because Medicare rebates are too low, their usual GP may be on extended leave, they are in crisis and travelling or working away from home, or they live hours away from any GP practice.
Not all clients feel comfortable discussing their mental health with their usual GP for a variety of reasons.
Services like GP telehealth clinics were able to assist these people will now not be able to be utilised.
Not everyone wants to register for MyMedicare or has the technology or capacity to do so. MyMedicare was introduced as and intended to be a voluntary system.
It is inexcusable that during escalating mental health care needs, the Government is putting more roadblocks to accessing expert care from psychologists.
Change 3: Changes to GP item numbers
The government is scrapping item 2712, the item used for mental health treatment plan review. GPs will instead need to use general time-based item numbers. The government has not flagged their intention to remove the need to review and re-refer after 6 sessions or a course of treatment.
AAPi believes that these changes undermine the personal autonomy of clients and will result in major barriers to mental health care. These changes will also significantly increase the red tape in navigating the mental health system, increase GP workload and duplication, and reduce their capacity to be proactive about their patients' mental health. This also devalues the role of psychologists in assessing and triaging clients and working with GPs to achieve improvements in mental health and well-being for clients. There is potential for disastrous results.
The underlying theme of these changes and this year’s budget is the devaluing of psychology and deprioritising mental health care. All psychologists must stand united to ensure the future of psychology and clients and community access.
The full release from the Government below:
This measure will improve the Better Access Initiative to better meet the needs of individuals and improve equity of access. It expands the range and reach of free mental health services available.
GPs will be supported through new guidance to assess the mental health needs of people and refer them to the most appropriate services. This guidance will be developed with the health professionals sector. This change will better target the Better Access Initiative to people with at least moderate intensity care needs who will benefit the most.
GPs will be able to use standard consultation items to review mental health treatment plans and deliver mental health care, instead of having to use dedicated GP mental health Medicare items. The Mental Health Treatment Planning items will remain available for GPs to use.
Guidance for health professionals will be updated to better support the use of other Medicare-subsidised allied health services for patients with chronic mental health conditions and complex care needs. This is in line with current eligibility for these services.
To support continuity of care, referrals to Better Access will be required to be made by a GP at:
- a person’s MyMedicare-registered practice
- their usual GP if they aren’t registered for MyMedicare.
This measure is being led by the Department of Health and Aged Care. Services Australia will get $1 million from 2024–25 through to 2027–28 to support this measure.
Who this measure affects
This affects patients who use the Better Access Initiative.
When this starts and finishes
This measure starts 1 November 2025 and is ongoing.