As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a profound impact in Australia, mental health is increasingly a key issue. Here, we take a closer look at the choice of programs and wellness resources available to help manage the nation’s ‘shadow’ pandemic. 

Australia mental health statistics

Throughout 2020 and in the early months of 2021 there was undoubtedly increased psychological distress among Australians during the pandemic. 

In March 2020, at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, there were 238,044 MBS (Medicare Benefits Schedule) mental health services - a number that rose sharply to 297,631 at the beginning of December that same year. 

Official AIHW data paints a grim picture of COVID-19’s potential to impact wellbeing, due to both concerns around contracting the virus, and many of the precautionary measures taken to help contain its spread. A fact that the WHO flagged early on in the pandemic, with the implementation of state by state restrictions such as limited movement and interaction, social distancing measures, and physical isolation in the form of recurring lockdowns.

In addition, in the 4 weeks to June 27 this year:

• Lifeline, Australia’s non profit telephone crisis support service, had 81,033 calls offered, a rise of 19.1% from 2019 and 2.9% from 2020

• Kids Helpline, Australia's only free 24/7, confidential counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25 years, received 27,807 answerable contact attempts, up 7.5% from the same period in 2019 respectively

• Beyond Blue received 23,326 contacts, up 11% from the same period in 2019

Adding a further pressure to the loss of social interaction, Australians also had to deal with the sudden loss of employment, and the added stress of transitioning to remote work and/or schooling.

The result: anxiety, tension, extreme levels of insecurity and uncertainty that potentially contributed to, and even exacerbated, pre-existing Australian mental health issues.

The role of telehealth services

Among the many strategies undertaken to collectively support Australian mental health through this period, the Australian Government opted to extend telehealth consultations for Australians, particularly in COVID-19 hotspots. Telehealth and ‘virtual hospital’ solutions like CareMonitor integrate seamlessly with clinical management systems to coordinate care planning, medication management and patient engagement. They’re an efficient yet valuable way to expedite the mental health support needed at this time, ensuring that patients can access care from their clinicians, and that our healthcare professionals can also continue to prioritise both physical and mental health. 

The addition of two new Medicare items, made available to GPs and other medical practitioner services in July 2021, allowed doctors to provide longer than standard telehealth consultations of 20 minutes or more. The move was initially made in response to the prospect of prolonged hotspot declarations in Greater Sydney, but was ultimately also extended to include people in other locations who were required to quarantine or isolate under public health orders.

At this point the Morrison Government affirmed the critical role telehealth had played in supporting Australians through the pandemic, with this extension of the service allowing people to fight the onset of depression and anxiety by doing anything from renewing scripts to seeking out mental health support from the sanctity of their own homes. 

From March 2020 to December 2021 temporary MBS telehealth items have been made available, to provide protection for both patients and health care providers by helping to reduce the risk of community transmission of COVID-19. These new items are now available to GPs, medical practitioners, specialists, consultant physicians, nurse practitioners, participating midwives, allied health providers and dental practitioners.

Telehealth services work as a COVID safe system that protects patients, while also alleviating workload stress for overextended healthcare workers who have been operating at maximum capacity for over 18 months now.   

Telehealth pop-up clinics

The success of telehealth services has led to innovations like the 15 free HeadtoHelp clinics established in Victoria during their extended lockdown in 2020, and the 10 which have been operational in NSW since 6 September 2021. 

A similar clinic also opened recently in Canberra. The Head to Health pop up clinic is open to all residents who have been substantially affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s funded by a $1 million investment from the Morrison Government and Canberra residents and healthcare workers can simply call 1800 595 212 to speak with a mental health professional who will then direct them to the best possible care for their specific needs.

Face-to-face services will also be available from 1 November 2021.

“Mental health is a key part of Australia’s pandemic response,” said Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt. “This clinic will play an essential role in supporting ACT GPs, private and public hospitals and emergency departments, by providing accessible mental health care.”

The clinic will have a team of mental health support workers, including psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers, care coordinators, peer support workers and other allied health professionals with experience in mental health.

It’s a strategic addition to existing and planned ACT Government mental health services. In this coordinated approach, CareMonitor is being used for overseeing patient intake and management, which will be coordinated with assessment and referral processes for mental health services state-wide, as the ACT starts to open back up again. 

With many Canberrans facing mental health challenges these services will provide crucial mental health support where it’s needed most.

The ACT Head to Health Pop Up clinic, powered in part by CareMonitor, will be open until June 30 2022.  Find out more here.

In addition, Australians affected by the ongoing effects of COVID-19 will continue to have access to the Beyond Blue Coronavirus Wellbeing Support Service at all times by calling 1800 512 348, or online at coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au.

Anyone experiencing distress can also seek immediate advice and support through Lifeline (13 11 14), Kids Helpline (1800 55 1800), the Suicide Call Back Service (1300 659 467 or www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au), or the Government’s digital mental health gateway, Head to Health.

At CareMonitor, we believe that everyone should have a personalised healthcare plan - and that healthcare should provide value for the individual at every step. This is crucial in mental health care, where ongoing treatments require consistent monitoring. We’re better connecting healthcare teams with their patients to make this a reality.

Take the first step towards pro-actively managing your telehealth capabilities. CareMonitor allows you to provide individualised mental health care plans, monitor vital metrics, and communicate securely across care teams.

If you would like to learn more about providing intelligent, integrated mental health care coordination for your patients, book a CareMonitor demo today.