Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

ALLAGHER (—) (): I thank Senator Tyrrell for the question, and for a heads-up on the question so that I could get some advice from the minister's office. I understand that the minister for health, Minister Butler, has been engaging with the Jacqui Lambie Network on this matter and will continue to do so, and that on 6 October the department of health and members of the minister's office met with the Jacqui Lambie Network—I'm not sure if it was with your office, Senator Tyrrell or with Senator Lambie's—to have a discussion on these matters, and that will continue.

On the issue of telephone consults versus video-conference consults: it's hard to remember because of how intense the last few years have been, but phone telehealth hasn't been an option that's been available prior to the response to COVID-19. In my discussions with doctors—and I think this probably reflects the minister's position too—I've heard that the accepted view across the health workforce is that face-to-face and video services better support patient care and patient outcomes and should be the preferred forms of consultation with patients, particularly when there are Medicare items relating to more complex care arrangements. And this is particularly the case in long-form consultations of over 45 minutes.

The government is committed to evidence based care and telepsychiatry services. Consultations that are longer than 45 minutes should either be face to face or delivered via videoconferences. But I accept the point about people finding it difficult at times to get in front of videoconferencing and can find it hard to access services. I'm sure the minister's office will continue to talk about those, particularly in your local area.