Table of contents
- Home
- About Us
-
Information for GPs
- Mental health training standards 2023-25: A guide for GPs
- Focussed Psychological Strategies training subsidy
- GP mental health treatment plans
- COVID-19 and mental health in general practice
- GP mental health training and education
- Become a GP provider of FPS
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- GPMHSC how-to guides
-
Information for Training Providers
- Mental health training standards 2023-25: A guide for training providers
- FPS Training Provider Grants Program
-
Developing and accrediting mental health activities
- What is the process for accrediting MHST/FPS activities with the GPMHSC?
- The new triennium reaccreditation process
- Application submission requirements
- Developing Mental Health Skills Training (MHST)
- Developing Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPS ST)
- Developing Mental Health CPD
- Developing FPS CPD
- GPMHSC Quality Assurance Program
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Information for Consumers and Carers
- Mental Health Training and Education
-
Resources
- Mental health training standards 2023-25
-
Resources for GPs
- Eating Disorder Plan templates
- Mental health training standards 2023–25: A guide for GPs
- Trauma-informed care resource hub
- GP Mental Health Treatment Plan Templates
- Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS) mentorship program
-
Suicide prevention and first aid
- Disclaimer
- Recommended citation
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction - Suicide prevention and first aid
- Early detection of risk – Suicide and the relationship with mental disorders
- Talking about suicide and mental health issues
- Suicide prevention – Risk assessment in general practice
- Suicide prevention – Ongoing care for patients and self-care for GPs
- Suicide prevention and first aid resource tool kit
- After suicide
- Communication between medical and mental health professionals
- Telepartnerships in mental health
- Working with the Stepped Care Model
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Mental health education and training
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS)
- Tips for seeing your GP – consumer resource
- External resources for GPs
- Mental health MBS item number descriptors and rebates
-
Resources for training providers
- Mental health training standards 2023–25: A guide for training providers
- Training provider information videos
- Mental health treatment plans – a consumer’s perspective
- Beyondblue resource
- Education for GPs providing care for patients at risk of suicide
- Education for GPs providing mental health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Education for GPs providing mental health care for refugee populations
- Education for GPs providing mental health care for rural and remote populations
- Seeking a consumer and carer representative in mental health
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Delivering mental health care in general practice: Implications for practice and policy
- Contact Us
- Trauma-informed care resource hub
- Home
- About Us
-
Information for GPs
- Mental health training standards 2023-25: A guide for GPs
- Focussed Psychological Strategies training subsidy
- GP mental health treatment plans
- COVID-19 and mental health in general practice
- GP mental health training and education
- Become a GP provider of FPS
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- GPMHSC how-to guides
-
Information for Training Providers
- Mental health training standards 2023-25: A guide for training providers
- FPS Training Provider Grants Program
-
Developing and accrediting mental health activities
- What is the process for accrediting MHST/FPS activities with the GPMHSC?
- The new triennium reaccreditation process
- Application submission requirements
- Developing Mental Health Skills Training (MHST)
- Developing Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills Training (FPS ST)
- Developing Mental Health CPD
- Developing FPS CPD
- GPMHSC Quality Assurance Program
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Information for Consumers and Carers
- Mental Health Training and Education
-
Resources
- Mental health training standards 2023-25
-
Resources for GPs
- Eating Disorder Plan templates
- Mental health training standards 2023–25: A guide for GPs
- Trauma-informed care resource hub
- GP Mental Health Treatment Plan Templates
- Focussed Psychological Strategies (FPS) mentorship program
-
Suicide prevention and first aid
- Disclaimer
- Recommended citation
- Acknowledgements
- Introduction - Suicide prevention and first aid
- Early detection of risk – Suicide and the relationship with mental disorders
- Talking about suicide and mental health issues
- Suicide prevention – Risk assessment in general practice
- Suicide prevention – Ongoing care for patients and self-care for GPs
- Suicide prevention and first aid resource tool kit
- After suicide
- Communication between medical and mental health professionals
- Telepartnerships in mental health
- Working with the Stepped Care Model
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Mental health education and training
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS)
- Tips for seeing your GP – consumer resource
- External resources for GPs
- Mental health MBS item number descriptors and rebates
-
Resources for training providers
- Mental health training standards 2023–25: A guide for training providers
- Training provider information videos
- Mental health treatment plans – a consumer’s perspective
- Beyondblue resource
- Education for GPs providing care for patients at risk of suicide
- Education for GPs providing mental health care for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Education for GPs providing mental health care for refugee populations
- Education for GPs providing mental health care for rural and remote populations
- Seeking a consumer and carer representative in mental health
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- Delivering mental health care in general practice: Implications for practice and policy
- Contact Us
- Trauma-informed care resource hub
Why GPs are important in mental health
It is estimated that 45% of Australians aged 16–85 years will be affected by a mental illness at some stage during their lifetime. One in five (around 3.2 million) Australians will be affected during any 12-month period. 2
As GPs are often the first point of contact for patients experiencing a mental illness, they are the most common providers of mental health services. Therefore, it is essential thatthey have the necessary skills and knowledge to address patients’ mental health needs.
In Australia, ‘general practice mental health care’ refers to the assessment and management of people who experience mental illness of varying degrees. Further, it often includes the ongoing care of these patients.
To provide general practice mental health care, GPs need to be able to:
- perform a biopsychosocial assessment, taking into account the patient’s chronic and acute physical and mental health issues, as well as their past and present personal, social and cultural circumstances (the GPMHSC does not endorse any diagnostic tool for GPs, who may choose the assessment method and diagnostic tool they believe to be the most suitable)
- identify early warning signs of mental illness
- identify signs of suicide risk, and respond accordingly
- provide or recommend appropriate care based on the patient’s assessed needs (eg e-mental health for mild mental health issues, face-to-face counselling for moderate to severe mental health issues) as well as taking into account cultural factors that may influence the model of care chosen
- provide continuity of care, which is a key component of the successful treatment of people with mental illness
- use and participate in a multidisciplinary approach to care.
References
- Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Mental health services in Australia. Canberra: AIHW, 2019. Available at https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/mental-health-services/mental-health-services-in-australia/report-contents/summary-of-mental-health-services-in-australia [Accessed 31 July 2019].