George Christensen (Dawson, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

asked the Minister for Health and Ageing, in writing, on 2 March 2011:

(1) What is the Government doing about the major shortcomings in the current mental health system in Mackay, reported in the ABC's program Four Corners on 9 August 2010.

(2) Given the above issues, and Mackay's proactive Division of General Practice particularly in relation to mental health, why was Mackay not chosen to be part of the recent Mental Health Forum.

(3) Why has there been no increase in the Medicare incentive payments under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program (MHNIP) since its inception by the previous Government almost five years ago.

(4) Why are nurses working under the MHNIP still paid the same money as almost five years ago when in that time, there has been a number of increases in wages to almost every other sector of the community.

(5) Why is mental health nursing no longer a recognised speciality area under the national registration scheme.

Mark Butler (Port Adelaide, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Mental Health and Ageing) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The answer to the honourable member's question is as follows:

(1) Mental health is an important component of the Government's second term agenda. At the COAG meeting of 13 February 2011, COAG agreed to consider mental health at its next meeting. Work on future mental health reform options for discussion by COAG is currently underway. To assist in informing Commonwealth consideration of reform options, the Government is undertaking a broad stakeholder engagement strategy (including consulting with the National Advisory Council on Mental Health, establishing a Mental Health Expert Working Group, national forums with mental health consumers and carers, and receiving written comment and feedback). This will assist in informing the development of a cohesive strategy for mental health reform to provide a more effective and sustainable system over the long term for all Australians affected by mental illness.

Under the Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) initiative the Department of Health and Ageing engages Divisions of General Practice to allow GPs to refer patients who have been diagnosed as having a common mental disorder such as depression or anxiety, of mild to moderate severity, to an allied health professional to provide short term focused psychological strategies services. Under its current funding agreement, Mackay Division of General Practice will receive $418,632.63 (GST Inc) to provide ATAPS services for 2010-11.

New arrangements under a second tier of funding have been introduced to allow ATAPS to be more flexible and target particular situations and needs, including the need for psychological services associated with disasters. On 2 March 2011 Mackay Division of General Practice submitted a proposal for additional funding to assist people affected by the 2010 Queensland floods and cyclone Yasi. This proposal is currently being considered by the Department.

In the 2010-11 Budget the Government committed $58.5 million to provide funding for flexible care packages of clinical and care coordination services to better support up to 25,000 people with severe mental illness in the community. An additional $60 million was committed under the Mental Health: Taking Action to Tackle Suicide election commitment package for non-clinical support services such as structured social activities, personal helpers and respite services for carers to enhance the flexible care packages and to enable wrap around care to be tailored to the needs of the individual.

The Government has also begun to roll out eight highly-targeted programs ($113.2 million) as part of the $274 million (over four years) Mental Health: Taking Action to Tackle Suicide election commitment package. This package includes $115 million to boost frontline services and provide more services to those at greatest risk of suicide, including psychology and psychiatry services and including the non-clinical support to assist people with severe mental illness and carers with day-to-day needs. The Mackay Division of General Practice is expected to receive additional funding under this new measure in 2011-12.

(2) I have held 14 face to face forums around the country with mental health consumers and carers to hear their views on options for progressing mental health reform into the future. The Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA) coordinated the arrangements for the forums including invitations. A list of the dates and locations of the forums is below:

I also heard views from young people during an online forum hosted by the Inspire Foundation on 8 December 2010.

There was a high level of interest in attending these forums, and to ensure those who could not attend had an avenue to express their views, members of the public and interested organisations were also invited to provide submissions about future mental health reform options. The closing date for submissions was 15 February 2011.

(3) The Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program provides incentive payments to eligible organisations, including Divisions of General Practice and private psychiatry practices, that engage mental health nurses to provide coordinated clinical care to patients with severe and persistent mental illness.

The Program is structured as an incentive based program to encourage eligible organisations to engage the services of mental health nurses and is not intended to provide a full wage subsidy.

The Program continues to grow under the current level of incentive payments.

(4) Under the Mental Health Nurse Incentive Program, incentive payments are made to the eligible organisation. Wages are negotiated between the organisation and the mental health nurse.

(5) Decisions relating to the recognition of nurse specialty areas are taken by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, which is the organisation vested with standard setting for the regulation of nursing and midwifery under the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.