Figure 9.1 and figure 9.2 show the rates of uptake of Better Access and non–Better Access MBS items from the December 2004 quarter (i.e. 2 years prior to the commencement of Better Access) to the March 2009 quarter across all 113 Divisions of General Practice, for persons and services respectively.
The rate of persons using non–Better Access mental health MBS items was 8.0 per 1,000 total population in the December 2004 quarter and 6.8 per 1,000 in the March 2009 quarter. The rate of non–Better Access mental health items used was 24.3 per 1,000 total population in the December 2004 quarter and 19.2 per 1,000 in the March 2009 quarter.
To examine whether the patterns of uptake of non–Better Access mental health MBS items had changed since Better Access was introduced, the trend for the pre–Better Access period (December 2004 quarter to September 2006) was compared to the trend for the post–Better Access period (March 2007 quarter to the March 2009 quarter). Analyses found that rates of persons using non–Better Access mental health MBS items, and services used, were stable in the pre– and post–Better Access periods. There was no significant change in trend for either persons using services, or total services used (see table 9.1).
Figure 9.1 Persons using Better Access and other mental health MBS items, December 2004 quarter to March 2009 quarter (rate per 1,000 population), for 113 Divisions of General Practice
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Text version of Figure 9.1
Figures in this description are approximate as they have been read from the graph.| Quarter | Persons using Better Access MBS items Rate per 1,000 population | Persons using other mental health MBS items Rate per 1,000 population |
|---|---|---|
| December 04 | - | 8.5 |
| March 05 | - | 8 |
| June 05 | - | 8.5 |
| September 05 | - | 8.5 |
| December 05 | - | 8.5 |
| March 06 | - | 8.5 |
| June 06 | - | 8.5 |
| September 06 | - | 8.7 |
| December 06 | 5 | 8 |
| March 07 | 10 | 7 |
| June 07 | 13 | 7 |
| September 07 | 14 | 7 |
| December 07 | 15 | 7 |
| March 08 | 15.5 | 6.7 |
| June 08 | 17 | 7 |
| September 08 | 18 | 7 |
| December 08 | 19 | 7 |
| March 09 | 20 | 6.7 |
Figure 9.2 Better Access and other mental health MBS services used, December 2004 quarter to March 2009 quarter (rate per 1,000 population), for 113 Divisions of General Practice
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Text version of Figure 9.2
Figures in this description are approximate as they have been read from the graph.| Quarter | Better Access services used Rate per 1,000 population | Other mental health MBS items used Rate per 1,000 population |
|---|---|---|
| December 04 | - | 24 |
| March 05 | - | 23 |
| June 05 | - | 25 |
| September 05 | - | 25.5 |
| December 05 | - | 25 |
| March 06 | - | 25 |
| June 06 | - | 25 |
| September 06 | - | 25.5 |
| December 06 | 8 | 25 |
| March 07 | 25 | 23 |
| June 07 | 32 | 23 |
| September 07 | 35 | 23 |
| December 07 | 36 | 22.5 |
| March 08 | 37 | 21 |
| June 08 | 45 | 23 |
| September 08 | 46 | 23 |
| December 08 | 46 | 22 |
| March 09 | 47 | 19.5 |
Table 9.1 Estimated change in trends for uptake of MBS–subsidised non–Better Access mental health services, before and after the introduction of Better Access
| Trend pre-Better Access RR (95% CI) | P | Trend post-Better Access RR (95% CI) | P | Ratio of trendsa RR (95% CI) | P | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons using services | 1.008 (0.989-1.026) | 0.417 | 0.989 (0.973-1.005) | 0.188 | 0.982 (0.958-1.006) | 0.141 |
| Services used | 1.006 (0.983-1.029) | 0.615 | 0.986 (0.967-1.005) | 0.151 | 0.980 (0.951-1.010) | 0.189 |
Data have regard to all claims processed up to and including 30 April 2009.
RR, rate ratio; CI, confidence interval. Data exclude the December 2006 quarter.
a The ratio of the post–Better Access trend to the pre–Better Access trend.