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4 November 2026

Message from Chair
 

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

Updates to Communications Guide
The GPMHSC is currently updating the Communications Guide, in collaboration with the RACGP and RANZCP, to create new guidelines for chronic conditions such as treatment resistant schizophrenia. The updated guide will aim to improve communication between GPs and other mental health professionals. We look forward to sharing the new guide once it is released.

Updates to the Australian Standards for Quality in Healthcare
Public consultation for the Australian Standards for Quality in Healthcare (ASQA) mental health guidelines closed in September. We look forward to the release of the Standards 3rd Edition.
 
Meet the GPMHSC Secretariat
The GPMHSC will be attending the GP26 conference in Adelaide. We look forward to sharing more details about the GPMHSC’s exhibition at the conference and future events.

 

Assoc Prof Morton Rawlin
Chair, GPMHSC


For GPs

Make your practice more accessible for deaf patients with Convo Australia

​Convo Australia is a deaf-owned and deaf-led organisation providing 24/7, on-demand access to qualified Auslan interpreters.

Read

EMDR and Theraplay: What GPs Need to Know When Referring for Psychological Care

GPs are often the first to identify mental health concerns with their patients. The EDMR Association of Australia provides a practical introduction to an intervention that may be relevant when referring patients for psychological care: Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), an approved Focussed Psychological Strategy under Better Access.

Read

Embrace: Multicultural Mental Health

On 10 September, World Suicide Prevention Day, we come together under a theme that carries both urgency and hope: changing the narrative on suicide.

Read

Helping your patients with free digital mental health support

Medicare Mental Health Check In is a new digital service that offers free evidence-based and confidential support to help people manage mild mental health challenges, like stress, anxiety, and low mood.

Read

Therapy Near Me – Mental Health Support After Hospital Discharge: Guide for Patients and Carers

Therapy Near Me has developed a free Australian patient and carer guide focused on the transition from mental health hospital care to GP and community follow-up.

Read

For Training Providers

Expressions of Interest for GPMHSC Grants

The GPMHSC is seeking expressions of interest for upcoming grants to develop both Mental Health Skills Training (MHST) and Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPS ST). We would love to hear from training providers who are interested in developing either of these activities.

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Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Recommendations

A major update to the newest iteration of the mental health standards for 2026-2028 is the addition of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recommendations.

Read

Provider Numbers for MHST Reporting

Training providers seeking to include information on the Better Access referral process for MHTPs to their training modules, can now link to a new page on the GPMHSC website.

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Upcoming Intakes for the FPS Mentorship Program

The GPMHSC will be conducting new intakes of the FPS Mentorship Program in 2027, with the next intake currently accepting expressions of interest from GPs.

Read

New Consumer and Carer Videos

The GPMHSC will be developing new consumer and carer videos in the coming months for use in accredited GP training activities.

Read

Training and education

Conferences

 

GP26 

Dates: 20 November 2026 – 22 November 2026 

Venue: Adelaide, Australia 

Register Now


 


 

Free educational webinars

 

Praxhub: Mental Health Webinar Series 

Date/time: Any 

Venue: Online 

View now 

 

Headspace: Suicide postvention for community GPs

Date/time: Any

Venue: Online

View now

 

Spotlight on accredited mental health education

MHST online and face-to-face courses

 

Mental health skills training with a focus on youth mental health
Date: 2 January 2026 – 31 December 2026
Provider: gplearning
Duration: 9.5 hours
Venue: Nationwide
 
Detection, Assessment and Review of Mental Health Issues. Core Module of Mental Health Skills Training (P1MHE)
Date: 1 January 2026 – 31 December 2026
Provider: HealthCert
Duration: 12.5 hours
Venue: Nationwide
 
 
FPS ST online courses and face-to-face workshops
 
PTSD: Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders (P6MHE)
Date: 1 January 2026 –31 December 2026
Provider: HealthCert
Duration: 12.5 hours
Venue: Online
 
Focused Psychological Strategies Skills Training: Interpersonal Therapy in Practice
Date: 26 January 2025 – 15 December 2026
Provider: Dr Cate Howell Mental Health Education & Wellbeing
Duration: 20 hours
Venue: Blended
 
 
Focussed Psychological Strategies CPD
 
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Skills for GPs
Date: 1 May 2025 – 31 December 2026
Provider: RACGP Rural
Duration: 8.5 hours
Venue: Online
 
 
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Masterclass - ADHD Simplified
Date: 30 March 2023 – 31 December 2026
Provider: Psych Scene
Duration: 7.5 hours
Venue: Online