Pharmacy Daily | SANE points to ‘shameful snapshot’

A NEW survey of 1,000 people affected by persistent and severe mental illness and trauma gives a "shameful snapshot of a system that fails to be affordable, accessible or adequate," said SANE, the national organisation representing Australians affected by complex mental health.

SANE presented these findings at the Federal Government Forum on mental health access and equity yesterday.

Respondents revealed that growing gap payments for psychological and psychiatric services, and a complex National Disability Insurance Scheme pathway, has resulted in a large number of people not receiving any form of mental health support.

The majority of respondents were living with three or more diagnoses, yet many were struggling to access basic mental healthcare through an overburdened public system, the survey found.

The revelation that 23% have been turned away from services because their needs are too complex reinforces recent data showing increases in mental health presentations at already crowded hospital emergency departments.

SANE CEO, Rachel Green said those affected have been forgotten, and initiatives like Better Access need to be driven by those with lived experience rather than mental health providers and policy makers.

"The Better Access initiative has always been a blunt tool to provide universal care for the majority and hasn't adequately supported those with complex mental health needs.

"This SANE Bridging the Gaps Survey demonstrates that addressing wait lists and excessive gap payments is one element in the need for a system overhaul and a Federal Government commitment to supporting those with complex and ongoing needs," Green said.

Key findings from the SANE Bridging the Gaps Survey included that 11% are not receiving any form of mental health support because they cannot afford it; 40% of respondents are not accessing any psychological care and more than 50% said they needed more access to psychology; 63% have three or more diagnosed mental health conditions that require more than one mental health professional but 34% have access to only one; 23% have been turned away from services because their needs are too complex; 85% are not receiving NDIS services; and one in three psychologists have closed their books to new patients and the median gap co-payment for psychological care has increased to $90 per session.

"We need better options, where access to support meets needs and provides opportunities for comprehensive early intervention and continuity of support - rather than being skewed towards those with the ability to pay," said Green.