Mental Health Care Plan (MHCP)
What is a MHCP?
An MHCP (Mental Health Careplan) is a plan your GP writes with you about treating a mental health condition. The Practice Nurse also assists with the initial stages of this plan. It helps you to access eligible health professionals like psychologists, social workers or occupational therapists who can help you to get better and live well. A MHCP can be useful for people with minor mental health conditions or very serious conditions, short-term concerns or long-term illnesses. You don’t already have to be diagnosed with a mental health condition to talk to your doctor about making a MHCP.
How do I know if a MHCP is for me?
Signs that you are experiencing a mental health condition can be very varied. A mental health condition might feel very overwhelming, or it might present as a more subtle feeling that something is wrong. If you’ve been experiencing a mental health condition for a long time, the symptoms might just feel like a ‘normal life’, even if you suspect that other people might feel happier or less stressed. Signs that it’s time to talk to someone about your mental health include:
· You’ve been feeling worried, sad, down, angry, depressed, numb or generally ‘not yourself’ for two weeks or more.
· The way you’re feeling is affecting your ability to cope at work, school or in your relationships.
Your mental health might have reached a ‘crisis’ point where symptoms are so bad you can’t ignore them, such as considering harming yourself. You don’t have to wait for your symptoms to become this serious before you see your doctor. If you think something is not right, it’s always worth talking to your doctor about it.
How can a MHCP help me?
Creating a MHCP gives you and your GP the opportunity to formally outline how you’ve been feeling, what your needs are and what results you would like. It also gives your GP an opportunity to refer you to an appropriate treatment or support service. Having a MHCP makes appointments with eligible health professionals more affordable. If you have a MHCP you are entitled to a Medicare rebate on up to 20 individual sessions or group appointments with a psychologist, social worker or occupational therapist in a calendar year. To start with, your GP will refer you for up to 6 sessions at a time. If you need more, they can refer you for further sessions.
What is a MHCP review?
Once a plan is in place it can be reviewed by your GP twice in a 12-month period. This is an important part of the planning cycle, where you and your GP can check that your goals are being met and agree on any changes that might be needed.
Is there an out-of-pocket cost for a MHCP and Reviews?
The first visit to create a MHCP is fully medicare subsidised, and the Care Plan Review visits are only $20 out of pocket, compared to a full-cost GP consultation.
What if I’m scared to talk about my Mental Health?
It’s OK to be nervous before you talk to your doctor about your mental health, particularly if this is a topic you don’t talk much about with anyone in your life. It’s important to know that having a mental health condition doesn’t make you strange, ‘crazy’ or scary, nor does it indicate that you are a bad person, that you are weak or that you haven’t looked after yourself properly. It just means that right now, you are experiencing an illness.
According to the statistics, it’s actually very normal to experience a mental health condition, just like it’s normal to catch a cold or sprain your ankle. About one in five Australians aged 16-85 experience a mental health condition in any year, and nearly half of us will experience a mental health condition at some point in our lives. The most common mental health conditions in Australia are anxiety, depression and substance abuse disorder.
Our Oaktree GPs are very experienced in caring for people who are experiencing mental health conditions and want to help you get better and live well.
Please talk to reception and book in with your GP if you think you would benefit from having a MHCP
1. Mental Health History: Your Nurse and GP will gather detailed information about your mental health history, including any pre-existing conditions, previous illnesses, family mental health history, and current medications.
2. Lifestyle Assessment: A lifestyle assessment is conducted to understand risk factors that may impact mental health, such as diet, exercise, drug use, alcohol consumption, and social determinants of health.
3. Current Concerns: Your current concerns and symptoms will be discussed, and you will be asked to complete a questionnaire that will help to determine your recent levels of stress, depression, or anxiety.
4. Care Planning: Based on the assessment findings, a personalised care plan is developed in consultation with you. This plan may include medication, referrals to psychiatry, psychology or other services that may be helpful, and recommendations for lifestyle modifications.
If you need any other information please give our staff a call on 07 49417268