Important change to Better Access

The federal minister Mark Butler has announced that planned changes to the Better Access scheme which helps people access psychologists when they find the cost difficult.  Most important is the reinstatement of "exceptional circumstances" which permits the granting of additional sessions if the person is experiencing a particularly hard time.

For a Better Access fact sheet:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-ba-fact-transfac

For a question and answer document:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/mental-ba-fact-transqa

It should be noted that this "winding back" is only a transitional arrangement and the debate which has surrounded the delivery and funding of Better Access over the past months among consumers, carers and professionals alike is still a live one.