The COVID-19 pandemic is driving higher rates of mental ill-health than ever seen before. At a time when resources are stretched by the additional workload of COVID itself, the corresponding increase in mental health presentations is especially challenging.
In response, a local partnership of government, business, philanthropists, and community services providers called Imagined Futures*, is working together to improve access to treatment and support for people experiencing depression and anxiety across the local government areas of Cockburn, Fremantle, and Melville.
Recognising the critical role that GPs play in treating mental ill-health, part of the group’s focus has been on how to best support practitioners at this difficult time. After consulting with local GPs and the WA Primary Health Alliance Imagined Futures has commissioned specific, localised mental health GP training, and curated resources packages designed especially for GPs and their patients.
Accordingly, later this month the partnership is offering a dinner workshop with acclaimed Psychiatrist Associate Professor Mat Coleman focusing on treating mental health in young people in recognition that increasing rates of mental ill-health is particularly evident in this cohort. In this interactive session, Associate Professor Coleman will present the latest in recommended treatments for depression and anxiety in young people.
Representatives from local community mental health providers, including headspace, lifeline and the new youth mental health service at St John of God Murdoch, will also be on hand to answer questions about what they offer and what makes for a good referral/ partnership.
By connecting with local mental health providers, attendees will gain a better understanding of referral options and processes to help alleviate some of the pressures they are facing.
Workshop details:
For:GPs working in the local government areas of Cockburn, Fremantle and Melville.
Date: Thursday 30 June 2022
Time: 6 pm
Venue: Blue Grill Café
Register at: https://bit.ly/GPdinner
Registrations close: 22 June 2022
* The group’s work is informed by the grassroots Alliance Against Depression (AAD) framework to help combat suicide and depression in our community. Developed and tested in Europe, the AAD has been shown to reduce suicides and suicide-attempts by 24% over a two-year period.
Associate Professor Mathew Coleman is a WA and NSW-trained Psychiatrist whose work has taken him all over the world. Mathew is a highly experienced Psychiatrist having worked in the Northern Territory, NSW, WA, the United Kingdom and in Germany. He graduated in medicine from Flinders University of South Australia in 1998 before moving to Darwin to start his medical career. During his travels, he was able to complete a Psychology Degree in addition to post graduate Health Management qualifications before returning to Australia to undertake further training in Psychiatry. He eventually completed sub-specialty qualifications in Addiction Psychiatry, in addition to Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in Sydney. Mathew is currently a Consultant Psychiatrist with WA Country Health Service, and Clinical Academic and Associate Professor in Rural and remote Mental Health Practice with the Rural Clinical School of WA.