GPs embrace e-mental health interventions

25 September 2015

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has made a statement in support of e-mental health interventions with the release of ‘e-Mental health: A guide for GPs’.

The guide is designed to help GPs use e-mental health services like ReachOut to complement face-to-face care.

ReachOut Australia CEO Jono Nicholas said, “The research we released with EY earlier this year shows that e-mental health services can significantly reduce strain on our mental health system, so it’s terrific to also see the RACGP calling for e-mental health to be better integrated into the system.”

RACGP President Dr Frank R Jones highlighted that e-mental health interventions are effective options for care of mild to moderate depression and anxiety. Dr Jones also pointed out that they can be especially valuable in cases where access to care is an issue:

“In addition to being a convenient, flexible and cost-effective option for consumers, they may also provide a solution to problems of access in areas where it is difficult to see a mental health professional,” he said.

ReachOut.com is one of Australia’s most accessed e-mental health services, with more than 1.85 million people visiting each year, including more than 214,000 visits by professionals. At ReachOut, visitors find a range of peer support and information about mental health and wellbeing, as well as evidence-based tools and apps like ReachOut Breathe and ReachOut WorryTime which make cognitive-behavioural therapies available to them at anytime, anywhere.