Collection: Mental Health

1 in 5 Australians reported that they had a mental or behavioural condition during August 2020 to June 2021, and the National Health Priority Areas lists mental health as the fifth priority. Medical practitioners are the conduit between the patients, their community and access to physical and online mental health facilities and resources. As they are usually the first point of contact for patients with mental health issues, it is critical for medical practitioners to be adequately trained.

General practice plays a central role in the provision of mental health care in Australia. Easily accessed without referral, people in distress frequently turn to a general practice team for help. People talk to their GP about mental health more than any other issue and the majority of mental health services in Australia are delivered by GPs.