The Herald Sun
Concern over removal of subsidy
TWO out of three psychologists are "very concerned" that cuts to subsidised sessions will lead to more preventable deaths and harm, new figures show.
The Herald Sun can also reveal desperate Australians with severe mental illness are resorting to calling the police for help so they don't endanger themselves or others.
The findings of two new surveys, from Australian Psychological Society (APS) members and Sane Australia, come before a federal government meeting with mental health experts on Monday.
APS president Catriona Davis-McCabe said Australia's mental health system was in desperate need of reform and targeted investment would reduce waiting times and save lives.
"Our members are deeply concerned that people are having to fend for themselves following the government's recent cuts," she said.
"With mental ill-health and suicide costing the Australian economy $220bn per year, the cost of inaction is far too great." Labor's decision to not extend the number of subsidised psychology sessions, which meant sessions were this month slashed from 20 to 10, will be a top issue at Monday's meeting.
At least 64 per cent of APS survey respondents reported feeling "very concerned" about patient welfare in the wake of the move, while 95 per cent said they were concerned that preventable harm and deaths will increase. Almost half of the 1200 respondents said they had reduced their hours amid record demand for treatment due to burnout.
A Sane Australia report out on Monday shows a million Australians with mental problems can't afford care and are being turned away because their problems are too complex.
It found one in three psychologists had closed their books to new patients and the median gap payment for psychological care had increased to $90 per session.
Waiting lists for public care were more than a year long.
"It's not just about offering more sessions, we need to disrupt the current system to ensure those needing acute care are not standing in the same long queue as those with less urgent needs," Sane chief Rachel Green said.
The federal government has not bowed to pressure for the 20 sessions to be reinstated, after a review found the pandemic boost caused waiting lists to balloon and reduced access for new patients.
The review recommended the extra 10 sessions should "continue to be made available and should be targeted towards those with complex mental health needs".
But Health Minister Mark Butler last week said the system was not designed to favour people with complex needs over those with more mild to moderate needs.
He said the meeting would discuss ways to make mental health services more equitable.