Frequently Asked Questions

The APS White Paper is a blueprint for the delivery of better mental health outcomes for all Australians through Medicare.

The White Paper forms part of the APS response to the Mental Health Reference Group within the Medicare Benefits Scheme review.

The current structure of psychological services within Medicare needs additional investment to address demand and maximise better mental health outcomes for the community.

The White Paper recommendations aim to strengthen and improve Medicare to ensure people can access and afford the right services at the right time.

All people accessing a psychologist, with appropriate reviews, will be able to access up to 20 sessions per year. This applies irrespective of whether the psychologist holds an Area of Practice Endorsement or not.

If a client requires more than 20 sessions and meets the criteria for the High Intensity Disorder Pathway, they can access a further 20 treatment sessions provided by a psychologist who holds an Area of Practice Endorsement and who is working within their area of competency as determined by the Psychology Board of Australia and the Australian Psychology Accreditation Council (APAC).

The proposed reforms in the White Paper will not restrict any psychologist. Psychologists will be able to continue to provide the services they are providing, to the clients they are currently treating.

The White Paper makes 17 recommendations to evolve Medicare to achieve three key outcomes:

1. Increase community access to, and the affordability of, psychological services in Australia.
2. Increase treatment and care options for all Australians who have a mental health diagnosis.
3. Reduce the burden that poor mental health creates for individuals, families, communities, governments and the economy.

Yes. If accepted by Government, psychologists provisionally-registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency, who are working with clients under supervision as part of their training (internship or placements within a postgraduate course) will be able to work under Medicare.

Clients being treated by these psychologists will be eligible for a rebate.

Recommendation 17 in the White Paper increases the Scheduled Fee. This will mean clients will have a smaller gap fee.

The APS is advocating that the Government consider and adopt the recommendations made in the White Paper.

The White Paper will form the foundation for the APS’s increased advocacy for the profession and its members for the years to come.

If adopted by Government, the recommendations in the APS White Paper should enhance the business model of psychologists in private practice due to increased rebates to clients.

Under the proposed reforms in the White Paper all psychologists would be able to provide up to 20 sessions of treatment, an increase from 10 sessions.

The White Paper also recommends additional services not previously covered by Medicare.

The APS has sought advice on the matter of RPL from the Psychology Board of Australia, which has stated there will be no recognition of prior learning.

The model proposed by the APS needs to work within the limits set by the regulators. The Psychology Board of Australia has made it clear that people are held to different standards depending upon whether they have an Area of Practice Endorsement or not.

Further, the Psychology Board of Australia has determined that continuing professional development (CPD) serves to maintain the level of qualification an individual has achieved, not to increase it.

This is supported by a Supreme Court decision that has determined the relevance of qualifications and training in differentiating psychologists. See https://jade.io/article/346549. These common law precedents have to be considered.

The APS  notes the new pathway specifically designed for registered psychologists who have not completed an accredited 5^th and 6^th year level postgraduate course. This pathway is generally a one-year stand-alone program and once completed graduates are eligible for entry into the registrar program to obtain an Area of Practice Endorsement.

The APS remains committed to advocating to the Heads of Departments and Schools of Psychology Australia (HODSPA) for the commencement of these courses as soon as possible; we understand that universities are intending to start offering the courses in 2020.

Qualifications and training standards across all professions are lifting, and the APS is working to ensure the psychology profession is strengthened.

The recommendations will require a minor increase in expenditure. The downstream savings to the economy are expected to outweigh any minor increase in cost.

If the APS proposal is accepted by government, all clients will be entitled to receive a rebate for the first 20 sessions, regardless of their mental health condition or which psychologist they see. At the end of 20 sessions, they will be reviewed by a medical practitioner who will determine if there is a need for further treatment. Should they go on to receive more treatment sessions, they will be entitled to a rebate if they see a psychologist with an AoPE.

The rebate is for the client, not the psychologist. The levels have been included to recognise the level of complexity and difficulty of the case mix that should be referred to psychologists with an AOPE.

Currently, at the completion of a course of treatment the psychologist must report to the referring practitioner. The inclusion of outcome data is best practice.

The Government has made it clear that to invest resources most efficiently to support better outcomes, it requires better evaluation and outcome measurement to create needed change.

Medicare is a medically-oriented, universal healthcare system with built in checks and balances. The APS recommendations remove barriers and improve access to psychological therapy for all Australians. Expanding the list of eligible referring medical practitioners means better access to psychologists.

This recommendation enables collaboration between the GP/medical practitioner, the client and the treating psychologist. The intention is to preserve the client-psychologist relationship; the patient does not need to be referred to an AoPE after 20 sessions if the GP, psychologist and patient agree that staying with the treating psychologist is in the best interest of the client.

The proposed APS reforms to Medicare would improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the mental health care system by creating greater access and the right treatment for those suffering mental health disorders.

If adopted by Government, the reforms would increase community access and affordability to essential psychological services performed by all psychologists. All clients would have access to more sessions, with the Medicare-funded sessions increased from 10 to 20 for all psychologists and clients.

The current Medicare structure does not adequately support the diversity of expertise which means vulnerable Australians with mental ill-health are at risk of falling between the cracks.

These proposed reforms will not limit the scope of practice of any psychologist, the services they provide or the clients they treat. Under the proposed reforms, all psychologists will be able to provide up to 20 sessions, an increase from 10 sessions, via Medicare.

The current Medicare structure does not adequately support the diversity of expertise in the psychology profession, which means vulnerable Australians with mental health disorders  are at risk of falling between the cracks.

Increasing access to the diversity of psychological expertise in Australia means those suffering mental health disorders have greater access to appropriately trained psychologists.

This therapy includes undertaking an increased range of psychological interventions to include all Level 1 evidence-based therapies as described by the NHMRC guidelines.

The Level 1 evidence-based therapies as described by the NHMRC guidelines can be found on page 16 of Evidence-based Psychological Interventions in the Treatment of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition 2018.

No. In recognition of the advanced skills of psychologists, the APS White Paper proposes three levels of interventions. If approved by government, psychologists will be able to provide psychological therapy or advanced psychological therapy. Other medical and allied health professionals will be able to provide supportive therapy.

The White Paper has been endorsed by the APS Board of Directors.

It was developed by the APS thanks to the efforts of a 20 person APS MBS Expert Committee, chaired by Michael Gorton AM and supported by APS members, consumer advocates and a health economist.

The White Paper is also a result of extensive consultation with APS members led by the APS MBS Expert Committee on a consultation paper released in March this year.

The APS has scheduled face-to-face information sessions in every state and territory, to be hosted by the CEO and APS Board members. Information sessions will also held via webinar in July for those members who are unable to attend a face-to-face session. More information about the sessions can be found on this page.

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