Drought mental health support now to include telehealth consults with local rural doctors

*Joint statement by: President of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, Dr Adam Coltzau President of the National Farmers Federation, Fiona Simson CEO of the National Rural Health Alliance, Mark Diamond President of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine, Assoc Prof Ruth Stewart* 

The Rural Doctors Association of Australia (RDAA), National Farmers Federation (NFF), the National Rural Health Alliance (NRHA) and the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) have strongly welcomed the Coalition Government's announcement this week to provide additional financial support to drought-affected farming families, including $11.4 million in mental health support initiatives. 

The announcement takes the Government's drought relief package to $576 million.

This support is critical at a time when many farming families and other rural business owners are facing relentless financial and psychological pressure as a result of the ongoing drought.

The Government has rightly recognised that it is not only financial assistance that farming families need - many farming families and other rural small business owners impacted by the drought may also need mental health support.

We also welcome the focus being not only on farmers and their partners, but also the children of farming families, who often know intimately the pressures that their parents are facing during times of drought. It is critical that these families have all options available to them when seeking mental health support at this very stressful time.

Accessing counselling via videoconferencing (such as Skype) with a distant psychologist, occupational therapist (OT) or social worker through the Government's Medicare telehealth mental health initiative will continue to be a very useful approach for many rural families.

We are now very pleased to welcome the support from Minister for Health, Greg Hunt, and Minister for Rural Health, Bridget McKenzie, to ensure that appropriately qualified rural GPs will also be able to access this telehealth initiative.

Local rural doctors are extremely well positioned to provide mental health care, as they have an intimate understanding of the drought's impact in their region. They know the local families, their healthcare histories, and exacerbating factors that may impact on their mental health, as well as having the best knowledge of additional supports and community programs that are available in the local area.

It is extremely encouraging to see that Minister Hunt and Minister McKenzie recognise the advantages local doctors can provide, and that travelling in to town for a consult is just an added pressure that farmers do not need during times of stress.

RDAA will work closely with the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM), the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) and the Department of Health to finalise the parameters that will determine the eligibility of rural and remote GPs to gain access to this telehealth Medicare item number, which under the current arrangements is only available to GPs for face-to-face consultations.

While it remains incredibly important that farming families retain the option to seek mental health help via phone or videoconferencing with a distant psychologist, OT or social worker, it makes sense that rural families also have the choice to receive help via phone or videoconferencing from their local rural doctor, and that they can receive Medicare support to do so.