New Australian research reveals that teenagers, their families and GPs are placed under increased pressure due to long waits for specialist mental healthcare, as researchers call on GPs to take part in a new service pilot designed to support young people while they wait.
A study by Flinders University and Black Dog Institute, published in the Australian Journal of Primary Health, surveyed 190 GPs across Australia and found reported wait times averaged nearly two months for psychologists and four months for psychiatrists.
Most GPs consider these delays unacceptable and say young people should ideally receive care within weeks, not months.
More than 90% of GPs in the survey said long waits increased the risk of young people disengaging from treatment, experiencing worse symptoms, feeling abandoned by the system and being less likely to seek future help.
The findings come amid growing national concern about access to timely mental healthcare for children and young people. Recent Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data highlighted a substantial mental health burden among young Australians, while the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has warned of a growing shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists, with a risk that children will only reach specialist services only once their needs have become complex.
"Young people are reaching out for support, but many are left waiting too long for the care they need," says Professor Bridianne O'Dea, Little Heroes Professor in Child and Adolescent Mental Health, at the Flinders University Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing.
"For a teenager experiencing anxiety or depression, a delay of several months can feel like a lifetime. Parents are worried, young people are struggling and GPs are doing everything they can to support them while they wait."
The study found 80% of GPs had seen an increase in adolescents presenting with depression or anxiety over the previous year. Many GPs responded by stepping up their own care, with more than 80% reporting increased appointment numbers and support for young patients while they waited for specialist services.
However, most GPs rated their knowledge of the most effective strategies for supporting adolescents during this period as only basic or adequate.
"GPs have become a vital safety net for young people caught in a stretched mental health system and they are providing ongoing mental health care while young people are waiting for specialist services," Professor O'Dea says.
"They are managing clinical risk, supporting families and helping adolescents stay engaged with care, often under significant pressure and without enough resources. Our findings show there is an opportunity to better equip and support GPs during this waiting period".
The findings add to growing calls from Australia's mental health sector for earlier and more accessible support for children and young people.
Recent national discussion has highlighted both the growing mental health burden among young Australians and shortages in the specialist workforce.
Professor O'Dea says these challenges must be tackled on two fronts: improving timely access to specialist services while also ensuring young people receive appropriate support during unavoidable waits.
"We absolutely need to improve access to specialist mental health care and reduce these wait times," Professor O'Dea says. "Until that happens, we also need to ask what we can do during the weeks and months between referral and treatment.
"Providing safe, effective and accessible support during that period may help reduce distress and keep young people connected to treatment rather than leaving families and GPs to navigate the wait alone."
The research, 'A cross-sectional survey of general practitioners' perspectives on wait times for adolescent mental health specialists and services in Australia', by Bridianne O'Dea, Mirjana Subotic-Kerry, Thomas Borchard, Belinda Parker, Bojana Vilus, Frank Iorfino, Alexis E. Whitton, Ben Harris-Roxas, Tracey D. Wade, Madelaine K. de Valle, Nicholas Glozier, Jennifer Nicholas, Michelle Torok, Taylor A. Braund and Philip J. Batterham was published in Australian Journal of Primary Health. DOI: 10.1071/PY25226
