PBS mental health-related prescriptions experienced a weekly maximum of nearly 1,014,000 in the week beginning 16 March 2020, corresponding to the expansion of Continued Dispensing (Emergency Measures) and messaging around obtaining necessary medication (Services Australia 2021, DoH 2022). PBS mental health-related prescriptions peak In December 2021, the Australian Government announced that telehealth will become a permanent feature of primary healthcare (DoH 2021b). These MBS items include mental health services provided by GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other allied health workers. This was intended to reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID-19. Telehealth was introduced as an alternative to face-to-face healthcare services to provide protection for both patients and healthcare providers. Introduction of COVID-19 mental health telehealth itemsĭuring the pandemic, the Australian Government introduced additional services to the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) to support provision of health care via telehealth (telephone and videoconference). In March, governments announced a series of health and economic support packages together with a broad range of restrictions including mandatory mask wearing, restriction of movement and remote teaching and working were possible (PoA 2020a, PoA 2020b) Through February the Commonwealth and State and Territory governments announced a series of travel restrictions and advice as other countries experienced increasingly severe outbreaks of the virus. The first case of COVID-19 (then known as novel coronavirus, nCoV-19) in Australia was reported on 25 January 2020 in Victoria with an additional 3 cases reported in NSW on the same day. The destruction of property, displacement of communities and prolonged exposure to extreme conditions had an impact on mental health and increased use of mental health services both during and after the events (AIHW 2020). The 2019–20 bushfire season saw unprecedented fires sweep across eastern Australia with a massive impact on many communities, devastating the natural environment and compromising air quality. For example, the introduction of mental health-related telehealth items on 13 March 2020 and the subsequent peak of use from 13–19 April 2020 are distinct in the national telehealth MBS data. It is not always possible to tease apart the effects of events that overlap each other or impact smaller regions and populations however several highlighted events can be seen directly in the data. This timeline covers key events within the last 4 years that have impacted mental health related service activity. This section replaces the Mental health impact of COVID-19 section, the previous section is still available in archived content. Mental health crisis, support and information organisations including Lifeline, Kids Helpline, Beyond Blue, ReachOut and Head to Health data.įor further information on the data sources presented in this report please refer to the notes about interpreting the data. In this report PBS and RPBS will be reported in aggregate as PBS. Medicare-subsidised services, and mental health prescriptions, including both Medicare Benefits Scheme (MBS), and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)/Repatriation Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (RPBS) data.The services activity data presented in this report is reported at national and state and territory levels for the March quarter 2023. The purpose of the mental health service activity monitoring reporting is to provide insights into how the mental health system is providing services and responding to changing population needs and events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, natural disasters, and policy changes. This section brings together timely information from different parts of Australia’s mental health system to present an early picture of activity across the system and provide meaningful comparisons to historical data.
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