PREPARATION OF GP MENTAL HEALTH TREATMENT PLAN
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The following Questions and Answers are sourced from section 3 of a document produced by the Australian Government Department of Health & Ageing. A link to the full document is provided below. |
What are the steps involved in preparing a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan?
Preparation of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan involves both assessing the patient and preparing the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan document.
Assessment
An assessment of a patient must include:
- recording the patient’s agreement for the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan service;
- taking relevant history (biological, psychological, social) including the presenting complaint;
- conducting a mental state examination;
- assessing associated risk and any co-morbidity;
- making a diagnosis and/or formulation; and
- administering an outcome measurement tool, except where it is considered clinically inappropriate.
Plan
Preparation of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan must include:
- discussing the assessment with the patient, including the mental health formulation and/or diagnosis;
- identifying and discussing referral and treatment options with the patient, including appropriate support services;
- agreeing goals with the patient – what should be achieved by the treatment - and any actions the patient will take;
- provision of psycho-education;
- a plan for crisis intervention and/or for relapse prevention, if appropriate at this stage;
- making arrangements for required referrals, treatment, appropriate support services, review and follow-up; and
- documenting this (results of assessment, patient needs, goals and actions, referrals and required treatment/services, and review date) in the patient’s GP Mental Health Treatment Plan.
The assessment can be part of the same consultation in which the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan is developed, or they can be undertaken in different visits. Where separate visits are undertaken for the purpose of assessing the patient and developing the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, they are part of the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan service and are included in item 2710, that is, for separate visits that are undertaken to assess the patient and develop the plan, no MBS item would be claimed for the first visit and item 2710 would be claimed for the second visit (see A.32.9 to A.32.17 of the Explanatory Notes of the MBS Book).
Where the patient has a carer, the practitioner may find it useful to consider having the carer present for the assessment and preparation of the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan or components thereof (subject to patient agreement).
Is there a template I can follow for the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan?
It is not mandatory to use any particular form when preparing and claiming for a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, but it is mandatory to document the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan in a way which addresses the Medicare requirements (see A.32.12 of the Explanatory Notes of the MBS Book).
A sample form will be provided on the Department’s website at www.health.gov.au (and use the ‘A-Z Index’ link to go to ‘Mental Health Care – GP Medicare Items’) as an optional tool to assist GPs in the patient assessment and preparation of the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan.
Which Outcome Measurement Tool should I use?
The choice of outcome measurement tools to be used is at the clinical discretion of the practitioner. GPs using such tools should be familiar with their appropriate clinical use, and if not, should seek appropriate education and training.
Some examples of Outcome Measurement Tools include:
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Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K10)
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Short Form Health Survey (SF12)
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Health of the Nation Outcome Scales (HoNOS)
How often should I prepare a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan for a patient?
Many patients will not require a new GP Mental Health Treatment Plan after their initial plan has been prepared. A new plan should not be prepared unless clinically required, and generally not within 12 months of a previous plan.
A rebate for preparation of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan will not be paid within 12 months of a previous claim for the patient for the same item or within 12 months of a claim for a 3 Step Mental Health Process (items 2574, 2575, 2577, 2578 and 2704, 2705, 2707, 2708) or within three months following a claim for a review (item 2712), other than in exceptional circumstances.
Must the patient be given a copy of the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan document?
Before completing any GP Mental Health Treatment Plan or Review service and claiming a benefit for that service, the GP must offer the patient a copy of the care plan or reviewed care plan and add the document to the patient’s records. This should include, subject to the patient’s agreement, offering a copy to their carer, where appropriate. The GP may, with the permission of the patient, provide a copy of the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, or relevant parts of the plan, to other providers involved in the patient’s care.
It can also be useful to have the patient sign the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan - this can help ensure that the patient understands and agrees with the plan, with benefits for patient compliance. It is not mandatory, however, for the patient to sign the GP Mental Health Treatment Plan.
