Mornington Peninsula Division of General Practice

Programs-Mental Health

IF YOU NEED URGENT/CRISIS ASSISTANCE

Contact Peninsula Health Psychiatric Services Triage on 1300 792 977 24 hours a day.

All referrals for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services can be made by contacting 1300 369 012, 24 hours a day

Program Officer:                          Nici Lhuede
The Mornington Peninsula Division of General Practice’s Mental Health Program provides support to GPs in the identification and management of the mental health needs of patients through the provision of training, education and other professional development and service linkage opportunities.

Quick links

Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care Program (BOMH)
Funded through the Commonwealth Department of Health and Ageing to improve support to GPs in the provision of quality mental health care in general practice, the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care program has five components that support education and training, access to specialist services and incentive payments for GPs who work with people with mental illness. To be eligible and to register with the Program, GPs must complete the required training (2 hour Familiarisation Training + 6 hours mental health skills training) and must work from an accredited and PIP participating practice.

Program components:
1.             The
3 Step Mental Health Process – occurs over two long consultations (Level C or D) with the review process triggering the SIP payment of $150 per patient.
2.             Mental Health Skills Training
3.             Focussed Psychological Strategies Skills training and MBS rebates
4.             Access to Allied Psychological Services - enables GPs registered with BOMH to access time limited (6 sessions) focussed psychological interventions for their patients who present with mental health issues.  Counselling is free of charge to patients.  Referrals must be on the required forms.
Access to Allied Psychological Services GP Referral and Information Kits are available from the Program Officer

5.             Access to Psychiatrist Support  - available to all GPs irrespective of registration with BOMH

  • MBS Items for Psychiatrists to provide Assessment and Management Plans (Items 291 and 293).  Referral Template under Resources.

  • GP Psych Support provides 24 hour feedback on your questions about patient treatment, management, diagnosis.  www.psychsupport.com.au

Registering with BOMH - What’s in it for GPs?

  • Service Incentive payment for registration ($150.00 for sign up)

  • Registration means eligibility to: -

    • Claim the 3 step mental health process $150 per patient.  Cap of $10,000 per GP per year.

    • Participate in the Access to Allied Psychological Services Project

    • Train and register as a Focused Psychological Strategies provider and claim MBS rebates

What’s in it for your Patients?

  • More comprehensive care provided by GPs.

  • For some, access to free time limited allied psychological interventions health services for short term intervention.

  • Potential health outcomes enhanced through coordinated management and delivery of care.


TO REGISTER WITH THE BETTER OUTCOMES IN MENTAL HEALTH CARE PROGRAM

I must be working from an accredited and PIP participating practice
 
1.         Complete the 2 hour Familiarisation Training – this can be completed on-line via www.adgp.com.au  Select National Primary Mental Health Care Initiative and following links on left hand side to Familiarisation Training – Resources for GPs.
 
Or contact the Mental Health Program Officer.
 
2.          Complete 6 hours Level 1 Skills Training - For training courses go to www.racgp.org.au  select QA&CPD and view Mental Health Standards Collaboration.
 
GPs wanting to undertake registration training requirements for BOMH can contact the Program Officer for advice and support.

 


 For further information about BOMH

  • www.adgp.com.au following links to Programs – National Primary Mental Health Care Initiative

  • www.racgp.org.au following links to QA&CPD – Mental Health Standards Collaboration

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Mental Health Program CPD Activities

Clinical Case Discussion Groups
The Clinical Case Discussion Groups are open to all GPs and provide an opportunity for GPs to discuss relevant mental health management and treatment issues with their peers and a psychiatrist.  See Events Calendar for dates.

Balint Group
Balint Groups are a specific style of case discussion group for GPs that focus on the psychological aspects of general practice, and in particular, on the doctor-patient relationship.  A Balint group trains GPs to deal better not only with mental health issues but with many of the other challenges of general practice.  The groups are led by a trained facilitator.  The Program Officer can provide contact details fro experienced Balint Facilitators.

Mental Health Training and Education
See Events Calendar for topics and dates.

Networking, Service Linkages and Partnerships
The Mental Health Program also seeks to establish and enhance linkages and liaisons with local mental health and community based health services with an aim to increasing the profile of GPs and developing training and education options and where possible developing beneficial partnerships between the different health sectors.

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Resources

GP Psych Support – for non urgent/crisis issues

  • Also offering advice on youth mental health and substance use problems.  

  •  Extensive links to mental health resources

To access

  • Phone: 1800 200 588. You will be asked some brief questions concerning your enquiry and provided with a time when a psychiatrist will phone you back

  • Email: www.psychsupport.com.au   is a secure and password protected website. Register online or by calling 1800 026 965. Then log onto www.psychsupport.com.au   to submit your question. The psychiatrist's response will be made available to you on this website.

  • Fax: (02) 9425 3879. Using the faxback form provide details regarding the issue for discussion. A psychiatrist will then fax or phone you to discuss case details.

Psychiatrist referral directory - allows GPs and psychiatrists to search a database of consenting private psychiatrists by location, speciality, languages and other criteria such as preparedness to bulk bill some patients. The database is not publicly available. GPs will need to authenticate their identity and status as a general practitioner by logging into the RACGP website (RACGP membership is not required):  www.racgp.org.au/psychiatristdatabase  

Tools
The following tools are all available for download from this website in PDF from Mental Health Resources:

Internet Resources for Patient Information Sheets and Support Options

  • www.beyondblue.org.au – has a range patient information sheets for printing

  • www.mentalhealthvic.org.au - Range of fact sheets for download and printing

  • www.sane.org  - range of fact sheets (click on Information) for download and printing

  • www.itsallright.org – youth site developed by SANE for young people who have a mental illness or who have friends or family members with a mental illness.  Range of fact sheets for download and printing.

  • www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au – range of patient information sheets for printing

  • www.panda.org.au  Services and range of fact sheets for download and printing.

  • www.healthinsite.gov.au – click on A-Z topics and choose M.  Range of information sources, fact sheets and relevant links.

  • www.eatingdisorders.org.au  - range of patient information sheets and professional resources.

  • www.ceed.org.au – the Centre for Excellence in Eating Disorders provides training, resources and support to health professionals. 

  • www.eppic.org.au – EPPIC is a state-wide service for the early intervention and treatment of first presentation psychosis.  Provides a range of fact sheets for download, practitioner resources, newsletter, training and development opportunities.

  • www.health.vic.gov.au/mentalhealth - patient and carer information, service directory, psychotropic medication information for patients.

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(Last Updated 08 January 2007)