Latest news with #RoyalAustralianandNewZealandCollegeofPsychiatrists
Sky News AU
6 days ago
- Health
- Sky News AU
‘Clinically significant distress': Peak psychological bodies urged to act amid surge in climate anxiety among young children
The peak bodies for Australian psychologists and psychiatrists are being urged to back a ban on alarmist climate messaging targeting primary school aged kids amid a surge in climate anxiety among young children. Research released in June found Australia's National Curriculum was causing an 'epidemic of climate anxiety' among young kids, with primary school-aged children being fed alarmist content that is 'developmentally inappropriate'. Leading educational and developmental psychologist Clare Rowe, who authored the research, has now written to the Australian Psychological Society, the Australian Association of Psychologists Inc., and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, urging them to back a series of measures to combat the growing threat to children's mental health. In a statement released on Friday, Ms Rowe said the psychological profession must confront the potential harm that can unintentionally be caused by 'well-intentioned, but cognitively unsuitable, climate education'. 'Clinicians are seeing a surge of Childhood Climate Anxiety in young children who do not have the neurological capacity to process existential threats as presented in the National Curriculum. Adults have a duty to protect, not burden, the developing minds of children,' Ms Rowe said. Ms Rowe's letter to the peak bodies highlights the research, published by the Institute of Public Affairs, showing that 'current climate education practices are contributing to clinically significant distress'. 'Drawing on developmental neuroscience and psychological theory, the research finds that even if well intentioned, climate education is often misaligned with children's cognitive and emotional capacity,' the letter states. Among the key findings highlighted are that children aged 5 to 12 'do not yet possess the abstract reasoning skills required to process existential threats … from climate change without undue emotional burden'. That alarmist messaging can 'foster anxiety, helplessness, and diminished agency' in young children, which 'increases the risk of early-onset anxiety disorders' And that trusted adults, such as teachers and clinicians, may unintentionally exacerbate this anxiety by reinforcing narratives 'without offering developmentally appropriate coping strategies'. 'As psychologists, our primary ethical duty is to safeguard the psychological wellbeing of all clients, including children, based on sound developmental science,' Ms Rowe said. The leading developmental and educational psychologist urged the three peak bodies to back a moratorium on climate change education in early and middle childhood settings 'until curricula are developmentally appropriate and psychologically safe'. The letter also calls on the peak bodies to review their climate related advocacy and professional development offerings to ensure it distinguishes between the mental health impact on adults verses those on children. And that they acknowledge the harm to mental health that can be unintentionally caused by 'fear-based education in primary schools'. 'What Australian parents need immediately is a commitment from our most senior clinicians to recognise the damage the National Curriculum is doing to our children's mental health.' 'Reforming climate education is essential to ensuring that children develop a lifelong commitment to environmental responsibility without experiencing unnecessary psychological distress,' Ms Rowe said in a statement.
The Age
15-06-2025
- Health
- The Age
Five graphs that show how the cost of seeing a doctor has skyrocketed
Since 2010, average out-of-pocket costs for visiting a GP have risen from $7 to $11 in real terms. Over the same time, average specialist costs have soared 73 per cent, from $45 to $78 in today's money. About 40 per cent of Australians see a specialist each year. Most of these appointments – about two in three – are private, where patients receive a Medicare rebate and almost always pay a fee. Those who choose to go public pay with their time. Across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, there are 50 specialities with waiting times of more than a year. For some, the wait was longer than three years. High fees reflect an 'uncompetitive' market While some countries, including Canada and France, set some limitations on specialist fees, there is no such regulation in Australia. Specialists here are allowed to set their prices. When patients are quoted a hefty fee for a particular service, they can find it difficult to shop around because there is no easy way to compare prices. The Grattan report said the government's revamped Medical Costs Finder website was a 'positive step', but this is unlikely to be in place for some time – the legislation is expected to be introduced to parliament later this year. The report also identified issues with training pipelines for doctors wanting to enter in-demand fields. The authors said medical colleges – responsible for training specialists – were 'not set up to solve workforce shortages'. They suggested more than $300 million in government spending could go towards boosting training opportunities and directing qualified doctors towards areas of greatest need. Loading Dr Astha Tomar, president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, said the efforts of medical colleges to enforce safety and quality standards were not a barrier to entry, and welcomed further government funding to get more doctors into psychiatry – which is among the highest charging specialties. The report also proposed denying Medicare claims from specialists who charge more than triple the government-funded rebate – something that has long been proposed but would be difficult to implement. The cost of a first appointment has increased The next chart shows how much the median cost of each specialty has risen in the past five years. The median cost of a first appointment with a psychiatrist is now $240, almost $100 more expensive than in 2018. More than half of nephrology (kidney) and cardiology appointments were bulk-billed five years ago, but each now incurs an average out-of-pocket cost of $37 and $67, respectively. One proposal to fix this is to reduce the need for one-off referrals by enabling GPs to seek written advice from a specialist within three days. The report estimated this could avert 68,000 referrals and save patients $4 million a year. Even low-income families face high out-of-pocket costs On average, Australians spend about $300 a year on specialists. Even in low-income households, the report found 72 per cent of people who saw a private specialist paid a bill at least once. It means one in five Australians needing specialist care delay or avoid care. Every year, 1.9 million people miss out on treatment, and half do so because of cost. For many, the public system is their only option. But that is not viable for those who don't have years to wait for an appointment or live outside major capital cities. Health services are concentrated in our cities It makes sense that most specialists live and work in major cities – they are home to the majority of Australia's population, our research institutions and our busiest and most well-resourced hospitals. But even when accounting for population and need, Sydneysiders and Melburnians are still far better off than their counterparts in the regions. The researchers created a model estimating how many appointments were available per person per year, adjusting for the demographic needs of each community (such as age, Indigenous status and prevalence of chronic health conditions). They estimated the government would need to spend $470 million to boost access to specialist appointments in 81 communities with the lowest access to care. This would provide 1 million face-to-face and telehealth appointments to those most in need.
Sydney Morning Herald
15-06-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Five graphs that show how the cost of seeing a doctor has skyrocketed
Since 2010, average out-of-pocket costs for visiting a GP have risen from $7 to $11 in real terms. Over the same time, average specialist costs have soared 73 per cent, from $45 to $78 in today's money. About 40 per cent of Australians see a specialist each year. Most of these appointments – about two in three – are private, where patients receive a Medicare rebate and almost always pay a fee. Those who choose to go public pay with their time. Across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, there are 50 specialities with waiting times of more than a year. For some, the wait was longer than three years. High fees reflect an 'uncompetitive' market While some countries, including Canada and France, set some limitations on specialist fees, there is no such regulation in Australia. Specialists here are allowed to set their prices. When patients are quoted a hefty fee for a particular service, they can find it difficult to shop around because there is no easy way to compare prices. The Grattan report said the government's revamped Medical Costs Finder website was a 'positive step', but this is unlikely to be in place for some time – the legislation is expected to be introduced to parliament later this year. The report also identified issues with training pipelines for doctors wanting to enter in-demand fields. The authors said medical colleges – responsible for training specialists – were 'not set up to solve workforce shortages'. They suggested more than $300 million in government spending could go towards boosting training opportunities and directing qualified doctors towards areas of greatest need. Loading Dr Astha Tomar, president of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, said the efforts of medical colleges to enforce safety and quality standards were not a barrier to entry, and welcomed further government funding to get more doctors into psychiatry – which is among the highest charging specialties. The report also proposed denying Medicare claims from specialists who charge more than triple the government-funded rebate – something that has long been proposed but would be difficult to implement. The cost of a first appointment has increased The next chart shows how much the median cost of each specialty has risen in the past five years. The median cost of a first appointment with a psychiatrist is now $240, almost $100 more expensive than in 2018. More than half of nephrology (kidney) and cardiology appointments were bulk-billed five years ago, but each now incurs an average out-of-pocket cost of $37 and $67, respectively. One proposal to fix this is to reduce the need for one-off referrals by enabling GPs to seek written advice from a specialist within three days. The report estimated this could avert 68,000 referrals and save patients $4 million a year. Even low-income families face high out-of-pocket costs On average, Australians spend about $300 a year on specialists. Even in low-income households, the report found 72 per cent of people who saw a private specialist paid a bill at least once. It means one in five Australians needing specialist care delay or avoid care. Every year, 1.9 million people miss out on treatment, and half do so because of cost. For many, the public system is their only option. But that is not viable for those who don't have years to wait for an appointment or live outside major capital cities. Health services are concentrated in our cities It makes sense that most specialists live and work in major cities – they are home to the majority of Australia's population, our research institutions and our busiest and most well-resourced hospitals. But even when accounting for population and need, Sydneysiders and Melburnians are still far better off than their counterparts in the regions. The researchers created a model estimating how many appointments were available per person per year, adjusting for the demographic needs of each community (such as age, Indigenous status and prevalence of chronic health conditions). They estimated the government would need to spend $470 million to boost access to specialist appointments in 81 communities with the lowest access to care. This would provide 1 million face-to-face and telehealth appointments to those most in need.
ABC News
08-06-2025
- Health
- ABC News
Thousands of Australians are receiving ECT without consent every year
Rebecca* remembers fighting her clinical team all the way to the theatre, shouting the electroconvulsive therapy she was about to receive was against her will. "I felt completely helpless, that my body wasn't my own. I felt like I was in a movie," she said. "I was shocked they could actually administer it against my will." Health authorities describe electroconvulsive therapy (colloquially known as shock therapy or ECT) as a safe procedure, in which electrodes are placed on the head and seizures induced in the brain under general anaesthetic. Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists spokesman Dr Neil Coventry said ECT was one of the most effective treatments for severe depression and other serious mental illnesses, and modern ECT was delivered with precision and constantly monitored. "For people who are suffering and where nothing else has worked, ECT can quite literally save a life,' he said. Months on from her treatment, Rebecca is happier than before, and doesn't discount that ECT, as well medication or personal changes, may have benefited her. However, she describes the experience of having it forced upon her differently: "Invasive, old-fashioned, and frightening," she said. Rebecca was admitted to hospital voluntarily last year after experiencing periods of delusion, which included attempting to take a holiday without any identification or tickets. "I probably wasn't very well, but I'd never been like that before," she said. Shortly after admission, she was placed under a treatment order and told she would receive ECT. In the 2023/24 year, at least 1,700 mandatory ECT orders were approved in Australia, with courses usually lasting eight to 12 sessions. The true number was likely substantially higher, with some states not measuring or reporting approvals. In Victoria, a patient must lack capacity to give informed consent before they can be ordered to have ECT — a bar Rebecca said was never passed. "I have always been aware of what ECT is, and it is certainly something I would never have agreed to," she said. With the help of Victoria Legal Aid, she appealed the mandatory order, which the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) overturned, ruling she had capacity and the ECT was scrapped. She had already received a number of ECT treatments, which she said left her foggy and with muscle pain. She also attributes ongoing memory loss that sometimes leaves her disorientated in the suburb where she's lived for a decade to the treatment. Her experience is illustrative of an issue reported by advocacy groups and contained in tribunal and court cases from around the country, which suggested rules surrounding mandatory ECT were often misunderstood or not adhered to. National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (NMHCA) chief executive Priscilla Brice said the number of people receiving ECT against their will was likely far higher than order numbers suggested, because data didn't identify recipients on guardianship orders. Feedback from NMHCA's partners across Australia identified "systemic risks" under many state and territory frameworks, Mx Brice said, including its use to enable coercive practices that violated human rights principles. Mx Brice called for the elimination of involuntary ECT. Each state had different rules, but most required a tribunal to approve clinicians' applications for involuntary ECT. Tribunals usually required a patient to be unable to give informed consent and be admitted to hospital involuntarily. Less restrictive treatments were usually required to have been tried first, and ECT had to be clinically appropriate. Tasmania was an outlier, with ECT not subject to any special regulation, although tribunal approval was still required. The state also didn't record data on orders the number of orders it was making. Although rules differ from state to state, insights from those tribunals tracking the data suggested the majority of applications for involuntary ECT were approved. Independent mental health advocate Simon Katterl, who worked at the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission, said tribunals were often criticised for "rubber stamping" ECT orders. His criticisms are echoed by Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council chief executive Vrinda Edan. "I only know of one or two cases where the tribunal has not agreed," she said. In the 2023/24 year, New South Wales Mental Health Review Tribunal (MHRT) approved 95 per cent of the 749 ECT orders considered. A MHRT spokesperson said decision-making panels included a lawyer, psychiatrist, and a third qualified member, and all decisions were made according to the law. "Often the patient has a legal representative who takes instruction from the patient," the spokesperson said. ECT order approval rates were similarly high in other states that monitor them. In Queensland, 92 per cent of applications for ordered or emergency ECT that made it to decision were approved. In Victoria, 87 per cent of applications were approved, as were all 18 in the Northern Territory. Dr Colleen Loo, a psychiatrist and former president of the International Society for ECT and Neurostimulation, said the high rate of approvals reflected clinicians' training and awareness of the rules, rather than rubber-stamping. Dr Loo said ECT was more beneficial for patients who lack capacity, pointing to a Singaporean study of 175 recipients with schizophrenia, depression and bipolar mania. It found those lacking capacity showed greater improvements in mood, functioning, and cognition, although patients were only monitored one to two days after treatment. Similar studies had not been conducted in Australia, Loo said, because research on those unable to consent would "be a nightmare to get any ethics committee to ever agree". Victoria Legal Aid fought more than 85 ECT orders in 2023/24 at the Mental Health Tribunal (MHT) and challenged other existing orders at VCAT, with some success, according to its associate director of mental health and disability law, Catherine Leslie. She said mental health issues and distress could be inappropriately used to argue a person lacked capacity, and clinicians at times confused least restrictive treatment with optimal treatment, focusing too much on what might be quickest. "Treating teams aren't necessarily getting it right," Ms Leslie said. The issues highlighted by advocacy groups like Ms Leslie's often formed the basis of legal challenges to mandatory ECT orders, and resulted in orders being overturned. Data from VCAT showed 19 of 24 challenges since April 2023 resulted in ECT being stopped. And in a recent Tasmanian case, a tribunal heard ECT treatment for a patient was cancelled just hours before she was due to undergo it, as clinicians realised she was not subject to a valid treatment order. 'It is clear from reviewing previous reported determinations of the Tribunal on reviews of assessment orders that there has been ongoing confusion and error arising in the use of the prescribed forms … over the last 12 months,' the TASCAT said in a decision published in December. '[This has resulted] in invalid orders being made and the detainment, assessment and treatment of patients, without legal authority.' TASCAT ordered a copy of the decision be issued to the Chief Civil Psychiatrist and Statewide Speciality Director to consider if further training was needed. A Tasmanian Department of Health spokesperson said an education and training program had been introduced, and forms revised to ensure risk of errors was minimised. "Revision of provisions around ECT will be included as part of the wider review," the spokesperson said. In another decision, this time at the Queensland Mental Health Court, a woman had 12 ECT treatments overturned after a judge determined less restrictive medication options had not been exhausted. Some advocacy groups believe Australia had to shift from a paternalistic approach, where clinicians ordered ECT because they felt it was in the patient's best interest, to an approach that prioritised human rights and self-determination. Queensland Advocacy for Inclusion (QAI) chief executive Matilda Alexander said Australia's approach should be brought in line with the World Health Organisation's (WHO) stance on ECT. The WHO and the United Nations issued a guidance and practice document in 2023 that stated: 'International human rights standards clarify that ECT without consent violates the right to physical and mental integrity and may constitute torture and ill-treatment". It also said ECT was "not recommended for children" and "this should be prohibited through legislation". Only Western Australia and the ACT have banned ECT for minors, prohibiting its use on children aged under 14 and 12 respectively. However, treatment of under 18s with ECT usually required tribunal approval. The guidance also addressed the fact there is "significant controversy' surrounding ECT, noting the treatment could result in memory loss and brain damage and its use 'dramatically declined' in countries around the world. There is some debate about the risks and benefits of ECT in the medical community but both supporters and opponents acknowledge that adverse event can occur. The Western Australian Chief Psychiatrist monitored for a range of adverse events during ECT, including premature consciousness, anaesthetic complications (including cardiac arrhythmia), muscle tears, vertebral column damage, severe headaches, and persistent memory deficit. It found that an adverse event occurred in nearly 13 per cent of ECT courses in 2023/24. The ABC approached health authorities in Victoria, Queensland, NSW and Tasmania with questions about each state's regulation of ECT. All defended their approach to involuntary ECT and the effectiveness of the treatment. A Victorian Government spokesperson said it had introduced legislation to reinforce an individual's rights in 2022 in response to a royal commission into the state's mental health system. Safer Care Victoria's Mental Health Improvement Program had also been set up to strengthen supported decision making. For Rebecca, that autonomy is key. "It felt unbelievable, getting my body back, getting my mind back." *Rebecca's name has been changed to protect her identity and ensure coherence to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act
The Age
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Age
Brisbane news live: Queensland ‘needs an extra 350 mental health beds'
Latest posts Latest posts 7.13am Queensland hospital system needs an extra 350 mental health beds: psychiatrists By The imminent closure of Toowong Private Hospital will leave Queensland with a shortfall of 350 mental health beds, according to the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists. Loading Administrators called in to examine the family-owned hospital have decided to shut it down, and are now working with psychiatrists to ensure continuity of care for existing and prospective patients. Professor Brett Emmerson, chair of the college's Queensland branch, said there were not enough psychiatrists to run private hospitals, partly because the financial incentives were low and support was lacking. He said the federal government needed to increase Medicare rebates and ensure private health funds paid more, while also increasing training places for psychiatry. The state government also needed to invest in new beds, particularly when the existing beds are old and in such high demand. 'A viable private sector is essential in Queensland because we've got an already overstretched mental health system,' Emmerson said. He said the loss of 50 beds at Toowong would further reduce inpatient treatment options for private patients and increase pressure on the public system. 7.05am Cool and cloudy to close the week Another cool day is on the cards for Brisbane today, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting a top of 23 degrees on a cloudy Thursday. And the forecast is for an even cooler Friday. Here's the seven-day outlook: 7.02am While you were sleeping Here's what's making news further afield this morning: Liberal leader Sussan Ley has broken from the Dutton era with a reshuffle that rejects Trump-like cuts, goes softer on immigration, and proactively reaches out to women in the cities. A Christian pastor who founded a drug rehab centre that once treated former game show host Andrew O'Keefe has been charged with faking reports about patients' drug use. Police dug into Erin Patterson's bank records, shopping history and phone records as part of their investigation into a lunch that killed three of her guests, a court has heard. Real estate listings companies such as the Murdoch-controlled REA Group are making off like bandits with claims that advertising rates are rising by 10 per cent or more a year. And the ACCC has started sniffing around. 6.35am The top stories this morning Good morning, and welcome to Brisbane Times' live news coverage for Thursday, May 29. Today we can expect a partly cloudy day and a top temperature of 23 degrees. In this morning's local headlines: There was an eerie sense of deja vu in the way the Maroons were blown off the park at Suncorp Stadium in the opening 40 minutes of the first State of Origin match last night, and it is a matter coach Billy Slater urgently needs to address. Here's how the players rated. The federal government is yet to recommit to its $3.44 billion contribution to Brisbane 2032 Olympic infrastructure after an inner-city arena was removed from the Games plan. And on his second visit to Brisbane, the international Paralympics chief says he has no intention of combining the Paralympics with the Olympics in 2032. More than 80 days after the Story Bridge's footpaths were closed, the saga has taken a dramatic turn, with police taking protesters to court over plans to close traffic lanes for a peak-hour march. When reporter Courtney Kruk recently found herself questioning a 4.8-star rating, she wondered whether we're all becoming too hooked on online reviews.
