Patients with chronic and severe mental illness in regional and rural Australia are under-serviced and telepsychiatry provides the opportunity for metropolitan Psychiatrists to deliver mental health help to your patients in regional and rural Australia.

There is a move by the Medicare Benefits Schedule review committee to reduce funding for telepsychiatry and this will mean that patients who already are disadvantaged and unable to access expert mental health services will be even more deprived.

Telepsychiatry requires support because the demographic that is served often cancels or does not attend appointments and because we offer a collaborative care model where the appointments occur at the GPs rooms and the GP supports the patient in developing a collaborative care plan with the psychiatrist, this requires coordination to have available a Psychiatrist, a GP, a GP consultation room and the patient and carers. This is much more difficult and hence expensive than routine face to face consultations in metro areas.

Please support our most vulnerable Australians in regional and rural areas so they do not lose Psychiatry services.

This move is even more ironic at a time when the government is proposing to increase the availability of Psychological services under the Better Access Scheme and at the same time reducing Psychiatry services.