Mental Health  

Clinical Services and Referral Options

Local GP providers of Focussed Psychological Strategies ^{Sept 2011}

Mental Health Medicare Registered Allied Health Professionals

• Local Private Mental Health Professionals have provided detailed information about areas of specialty, waiting times and fees.

• Australian Psychological Society list of Medicare registered Psychologists

• Australian Association of Social Workers - Accredited Mental Health Social Worker Directory

Referrals to these private allied health professionals may be made through the Better Access to Mental Health Care Program.

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Integrated Care Service - Relationships Australia  (Access to Allied Psychological Services -ATAPS)

The Integrated Care Service delivers Focussed Psychological Strategies for patients with high prevalence mental health disorders under the Australian Government's Better Outcomes in Mental Health Initiative. GPs can refer patients who would otherwise have limited or no access to psychological services for six free sessions of Focussed Psychological Strategies with an allied health professional. A further six sessions are available if considered appropriate when the GP reviews the patient.

Women experiencing perinatal depression and young children with mental disorders are also priority groups for this service.

The Integrated Care Service (ICS), provided by Relationships Australia, Tasmania, has a dedicated team of mental health professionals who provide face to face psychological sessions. 

Service sites, days of service and approximate waiting times as at February 2012 are as follows:

Location	Address	Days Available	Approximate Waiting Times
Bridgewater	Greenpoint Medical Services 9 Hurst Street	Monday and Tuesday	No wait
Cygnet	Cygnet Community Health Centre 1 Frederick Street	Monday afternoon	4 weeks
Dover	Esperance Multi Purpose Health Centre 15 Chapman Avenue	Tuesday morning	4 weeks
Huonville	Huon Valley Community Health Centre 7-9 Sale Street	Monday morning Tuesday afternoon Thursday Friday	4 weeks
New Town	Relationships Australia 20 Clare Street	Monday to Friday	No wait
Risdon  Vale New Site	Risdon Vale Community Health Centre 32 Sugarloaf Road	Thursday morning	No wait
Rosny	Clarence GP Super Clinic 16 Bayfield Street	Friday	No wait
Sorell	Sorell Community Health Centre 57 Cole Street	every second Thursday	No wait
Triabunna  New Site	Springbay Community Health Centre Melbourne Street	every second Thursday	No wait

Some emergency appointments are available and priority will be given to referrals marked "Urgent" 

Telephone and video conference service delivery options are also available.

Participants should have access to reliable telephone reception.

Video conference rooms are located at the Community Health Centres at Swansea, Triabunna, Bruny Island, Huonville, Ouse and New Norfolk. They are also available at the Tasman (Nubeena) and the Midlands (Oatlands) Multipurpose Services.

To access the Integrated Care Service complete the Mental Health Assessment, Plan, K10 and patient consent form (for video conferencing) and fax to the Service Coordinator at Relationships Australia, Tasmania. 6211 4073

Please print off the appropriate information sheet to give to your patient:

• Patient Information for ICS sessions

• Patient information and consent form for video conference sessions

Templates for Medical Director and Best Practice are also available here:

For further information or to request a Referral pack, contact  General Practice South.

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Psychiatry

• Information on local private Psychiatrists  ^{May 2011 Update}  or find a psychiatrist at the RACGP website  (You will need your RACGP user name and password)

• GP Psych Support - phone, fax or electronic service provides GPs with patient management advice from psychiatrists within 24 hours in the following areas of psychiatry:

  • General adult 

  • Child & adolescent 

  • Old age

  • Drug and alcohol 

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Mental Health Services

Tasmania's Mental Health Services provide a range of community and inpatient services for individuals with a mental illness and for their families.

MHS Helpline  1800 332 388

All referrals of new patients to Mental Health Services should be done via the Mental Health Helpline service. This is a statewide service that operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. It is the single point of contact for Mental Health Services. Telephone referrals will take approximately eight minutes and will allow for more effective and efficient referrals and assessments.

Alternatively, written referrals can be faxed to the Helpline on (03) 6236 5788

Referral Templates   Medical Director      Best Practice       PDF Hard Copy Version
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	Residential and Rehabilitation Services
Mental Health Services also fund a range of treatment, supported accommodation, individual support and recovery options. In order to access these services, the application form below needs to be sent to the Maximising Recovery Panel. The postal address is on the application form. GPs may be asked to help a patient complete the paperwork.
Application Form     General Information     Request for Review     Southern Services

 

Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service (VVCS)

Australia-wide, specialised, free and confidential service provides counselling and group programs to Australian veterans, peacekeepers and their families. Veterans Line can be reached 24 hours a day for crisis support and counselling - phone 1800 011 046

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Templates and Assessment Tools

 Electronic Templates for Mental Health Referrals

Assessment Tools

Hard Copy and Instructions	Electronic Templates
K10    Information Guide	MD    Best Practice
SF12
Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS)	MD    Best Practice
DASS  (Short Version)   Overview	MD    Best Practice
HoNOS   Information Guide	MD    Best Practice

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Resources

Mental Health Resource Folder

Event Presentations from 2007 to 2009

Mental Health Fact Sheets for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse patients.

Multicultural Mental Health Australia (MMHA) have fact sheets which are written in over 20 Languages available here.

These resources are free and can be also be obtained by calling 07 3167 8306 or emailing them. 

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Better Access to Mental Health Care Program            

This initiative aims to increase community access to mental health professionals and team based mental health care.

November 2011 Changes, ^New  New Medicare Item Numbers for GP Mental Health Treatment Plans,  Number of Allied Health Services 

• Checklist for GP Mental Health Assessment, Plan, Review & Consultation.

• GP Mental Health Treatment Plan Flowchart   ^{Nov 2011 Update}

• Patient Pathways Flowchart  ^{Nov 2011 Update}

• Referral Template (From North East Valley Division)

Further information on the Better Access Program is available at the Department of Health and Ageing website

Medicare Items & Numbers (brief explanation)

Explanatory notes on GP Mental Health Treatment Items - (Items 2700 to 2717) are available on the MBS online website

Explanatory notes on Chronic Disease Management Items (Items 721 to 732) are available on the MBS online website

Chronic Disease Management  - where a patient has a mental disorder as well as complex health care needs (eg. co-morbidities) requiring team-based care.

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Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program

General Practices are now able to receive monthly payments when they engage a credentialed mental health nurse to assist in managing community based patients with severe mental disorders. A once only establishment payment is also available.

If you are interested in finding out more information about this program go to the Medicare website or contact the .

Contact details for Tasmanian Credentialed MHNs  (Use Ctrl-F to Find Tasmania)

 

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GP Education             

Mental Health Connection

This group meets regularly and all GPs in Southern Tasmania are welcome to attend. The meetings begin with a buffet dinner, followed by a presentation and open discussion on a topic of interest. Presenters are often psychiatrists but may also be GPs, psychologists, mental health nurses etc. Each session is worth 4 CPD points. If you would like more information about the Mental Health Connection meetings, contact the .

Mental Health Professional Development for GPs 

For information on 2011-2013 training requirements for GPs, please view the RACGP website.

For information on courses available throughout Australia please click on the GPMHSC training page. 

Further Mental Health Skills Training at ThinkGP  

Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN) 

The Mental Health Professionals Network (MHPN) supports collaboration in Australia’s primary mental health sector by fostering local interdisciplinary networks of mental health professionals. They are seeking expressions of interest in establishing a multidisciplinary Balint group in Hobart.

Information on other Tasmanian interdisciplinary networks is available here.

    

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