Is cost a barrier to general practice for Australians with mental illness?

Brendan Varden; Patrick Bolton

doi:10.1071/AH24167

EDITORIAL

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Is cost a barrier to general practice for Australians with mental illness?

Brendan Varden ^A and Patrick Bolton

^B ^C ^*

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Community Mental Health, Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Service, Prince of Wales Hospital, High Street, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia.

^B Eastern Suburbs Mental Health Service, Prince of Wales Hospital, High Street, Randwick, NSW 2031, Australia.

^C Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of NSW, NSW, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: Patrick.Bolton@health.nsw.gov.au

Australian Health Review 48(4) 340-341 https://doi.org/10.1071/AH24167

Submitted: 26 June 2024 Accepted: 27 June 2024 Published: 26 July 2024

Abstract

What is known about the topic? Cost is thought to be a barrier to access to primary care for people with mental illness. What does this paper add? Nearly three-quarters of clients of one mental health services do not report cost to be a barrier to primary care. What are the implications for practitioners? Efforts to help people with mental illness engage in primary care may be best directed towards areas other than the cost of access.

References

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