Table 11: MBS Better Access Program services, 2009-10DOH
|
MC |
IR |
OR |
R |
VR |
|
|
|
Age standardised rate per 100,000 population |
||||
|
Preparation of Mental Health Care Plan by GPs |
8,280 |
8,645 |
6,223 |
3,367 |
1,466 |
|
Psychiatrists |
573 |
411 |
246 |
82 |
32 |
|
Psychologists |
14,908 |
12,635 |
6,987 |
2,391 |
1,418 |
|
General Psychologists |
9,135 |
8,757 |
5,185 |
1,549 |
974 |
|
Clinical Psychologists |
5,773 |
3,874 |
1,798 |
829 |
464 |
|
Social Workers |
745 |
861 |
576 |
224 |
48 |
|
Occupational Therapists |
180 |
88 |
117 |
9 |
3 |
Source: PHIDU http://www.phidu.torrens.edu.au/social-health-atlases/data
Figure 3: MBS Better Access Program, 2009-10
Source: http://www.phidu.torrens.edu.au/social-health-atlases/data
“The purpose of the Better Access initiative is to improve treatment and management of mental illness within the community. The Better Access initiative is increasing community access to mental health professionals and team-based mental health care, with general practitioners encouraged to work more closely and collaboratively with psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, registered psychologists and appropriately trained social workers and occupational therapists.1“
The rate at which services were used in 2009-10, decreased sharply across remoteness categories.
Figure 3 above illustrates the relative roles of various health professions in provision of services under “Better Access” and the declining rate at which services were provided as remoteness increased.
1 http://www.health.gov.au/mentalhealth-betteraccess
Figure 4: Age standardised overnight mental health hospitalisation rates, by remoteness, 2013-14
Mental health hospitalisation rates increase with Remoteness.
Figures 4, 5 and 6 are valuable because they remind us that there is substantial variation within remoteness areas, which are often hidden by the averages. So while the average rate of mental health related hospitalisation increased from 856, 873 and 874 in high, medium and low SES parts of Major cities, to 946 in Inner regional areas, to 991 in Outer regional areas, to 1096 in remote Australia –there were only 650 mental health hospitalisations per 100,000 population in Remote area Katherine, but over 1,800 mental health hospitalisations per 100,000 population in Outback N and E South Australia, and almost 2,200 per 100,000 population in Adelaide city.
Figure 5: Age standardised overnight drug and alcohol related hospitalisation rates, by remoteness, 2013-14
Hospitalisation for drug and alcohol issues is substantially higher in remote areas (294/100,000) than in Major cities (149-168/100,000) and regional/rural areas (162 & 176/100,000).
Figure 6: Age standardised same day and overnight hospitalisation rates related to intentional self-harm, by remoteness, 2013-14
