Message from Chair

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

Budget changes to mental health care

We received great news at the most recent budget, with a promise to prioritise primary healthcare and more funding to strength Medicare and GPs in the way of tripling the bulk-billing incentive, and a new rebate for hour-long consults. The changes include $5.7b to Medicare, and $586.9m to mental health and suicide prevention, something the GPMHSC is very pleased about!

Third intake of the Focussed Psychological Strategies Mentorship Program beginning

The third intake of the FPS Mentorship Program begins in August, a program that so far has had great success and feedback from both mentors and mentees. The purpose of the program is to provide an opportunity for experienced GP providers of FPS (mentors) to guide and support newly trained GPs (mentees) towards becoming skilled FPS providers.

If this sounds like something you might be interested in in future, keep an eye out for emails from the GPMHSC seeking applications.

GPMHSC attendance at Perth and Brisbane General Practice Convention and Exhibition conferences

The GPMHSC is excited to be attending the General Practice Convention and Exhibition in Perth on 22–23 July, and 9–10 September in Brisbane. We love meeting and speaking with GPs interested in mental health training, so if you’re attending be sure to come and find us by the coffee cart!

Assoc Prof Morton Rawlin

Chair, GPMHSC