Topic Tuesday // What is mental health reform and why is it important for you // Feb 14, 7-9pm AEDT

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@FrankGQuinlan wrote:

yes @Phoenix_Rising, but we are all in it together..

We can all talk to our local member of parliament! We can all write a letter to the paper...

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@FrankGQuinlan Yep. And it is super encouraging to know that there are people like you out there who DO get it and DO want to see change. I had my first psychiatric admission in 1997 and even though I don't really see that much has genuinely changed since then, I like knowing that there is a growing tide of people who are advocating for change and I am more than happy to add my voice to that tide

There is the provision to provide 10 more sessions under MHCP but you need to wait 3 months to do this - this is a very long time when you are under a lot of stress/distress and the mental and physical toll can be life threatening - why is the wait so long - surely it would be better to have continuous access to these sessions for continued care!

@BlueBay Hi there - this is the right place to say whatever is on your mind 🙂

The MBS sessions are limited because it saves money - rationing.

Discharging people trying new meds, or without support, just sounds like like poor practice - wherever it occurs. I bet they dont discharge their cardiac patients before they are ready!!

@FrankGQuinlan I understand that your role is to campaign for change here. There has been a lot of talk about the inadecuacy of the 10-12 sessions. I suffer from BPD. I know many others who do too, and am collating information as a freelance journalist to write articles specifically relating to this condition. People who suffer from BPD have often alienated themselves from the (economic) support of friends and loved ones. I know many who don't have the means to afford the private treatment on offer from private clinics for DBT, myself included. But, when the remission rate is so high after a solid year of DBT, and the economic potential to lift someone from welfare dependency is greater that the economic costs of fully subsidising treatment for DBT, isn't it short-sighted at best, and a form of class warfare at worst to not fully subsidise treatment for those not able to afford it?

@Andra I am lucky enough to hear many of those stories first hand, and I agree with you that many are the same.

But it is always better if people tell their own stories - it can be very powerful in politics!

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@FrankGQuinlan wrote:

@MelLeighD It is certainly a numbers game, and the sessions limit is mostly about rationing.

But to be honest I was not aware of rationing based on diagnosis. I think GPs can prep a plan for any MH conditions - so people can acess the sessions

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I think if you check out the fine print, yes, there are issues around who qualifies for a mental health care plan based on diagnosis. GPs etc tend to work around it by identifying depression/anxiety as the issue...even if the person actually has a formal diagnosis of borderline personality disorder.

@FrankGQuinlan Sorry, I've only had time for a quick scan of the draft since @NikNik posted the link.

As a carer one of my main concerns, and one that seems of concern to almost all the carers in the carer support and education group I attend, is that of patient privacy.

Too often we are told "There is nothing wrong with me", before they take to the hills, at which time the doctor/psychiatrist won't talk to us because of patient confidentiality.

I know there is a difficult balance to be found here, do you think the system is "about right" as it is, or is there room to move? The only area of the draft I saw being somewhat applicable here was "Action 26", as the recent laws in Victoria seem to be somewhat better than in other states, although most medical staff I've encountered don't seem to be aware of the changes.