Is headspace making a difference to young people’s lives?

5. Service Delivery Model
Of the 43 GPs surveyed, 19 (44%) had previously referred patients to headspace. All GPs reported
referring young people in the last 12 months to a psychologist; however, only 24 (56%) said that they
had referred a young person to headspace (Figure 5.7).
Figure 5.7 GP referral of young patients to services within the last 12 months (n=43 33 )
Source: Survey of Professional Stakeholders.
Psychologists, psychiatrists, specialist mental health services and drug and alcohol services were
more popular referral pathways for the GPs surveyed. Further, 53% of respondent GPs (n= 23)
reported that they were more likely to refer a young patient with an emerging mental health problem
to another youth mental health provider rather than headspace.
The open-ended responses help to explain these results. A number of GPs reported that they
had established referral networks that they preferred to use or had developed relationships with
practitioners that they relied upon:
Our local headspace does not have psychiatric services, so if psychiatric oversight is
needed I prefer our local Child and Adolescent Mental Health team. For psychology – if the
family can afford it, I would usually refer to private child psychologists with whom I have an
established relationship. Our local Medicare Local provides a good service with no gap for
uncomplicated 10 session psychology so I have traditionally used this (Survey Response No.
55)
We have 2 psychologists in the clinic who are very good at what they do (Survey Response
No. 85)
I know a good bulk billing psychologist and I prefer to be able to recommend to a person
rather than an organisation, which can be hit and miss (Survey Response No 91)
Other GPs did not refer to headspace because there was no centre within the immediate local
community. In some of these cases, GPs were also unaware of headspace and the services offered:
headspace is not in the immediate locality. I’m not clear of the nature of their services, and
have other services which I already use (Survey Response No. 42)
I’m not aware of what headspace do and have my own referral network (Survey Response
No. 65)
I don’t know the level of service provided by headspace (Survey Response No. 100)
33
Responses do not total 43 for each referral option indicating that some referral options may be inapplicable for some
respondents.
Social Policy Research Centre 2015
headspace Evaluation Final Report
94