Response to the ANAO audit of Government management of the expansion of telehealth

The Australian Psychological Society (APS) is pleased to have been invited by the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) to provide a response to the audit of the Australian Government Department of Health's management of the expansion of telehealth services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the response, the APS commended the Australian Government on the decision taken in December 2021 to make permanent the telehealth Medical Benefits Scheme (MBS) items for psychological services which were initially introduced as a temporary COVID-19 measure. Telehealth expansion has benefitted the Australian community by increasing access to psychological services and future-proofed the psychological services sector.

Yet, implementation during COVID-19 has not been without challenges for psychologists and their clients requiring rapid and ongoing adaptation by psychologists and rollout of an extensive suite of APS supports for members. The APS recommended that:

• The Department of Health continue to invest in supporting psychologists and maturing the field of telehealth, and 
• Psychologists, in consultation with their clients, are well positioned to determine the most appropriate mode of delivery for psychological services delivery, whether that be in-person or via telehealth.

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