A Labor backbencher has broken ranks to criticise the federal government's decision to halve the number of subsidised mental health sessions to the pre-COVID amount, asking his party to "reconsider this decision".
Josh Burns, who represents the Melbourne-based seat of Macnamara, released a statement on Wednesday morning raising concerns about Labor's decision to reduce the number of Medicare subsidised psychologist appointments from 20 to 10.
The Labor backbencher adds to the chorus of medical groups and politicians critical of the decision, which includes ACT independent senator David Pocock, Jacqui Lambie Network senator Tammy Tyrrell and the federal opposition.
The Canberra Times understands other governments MPs have privately expressed concern about the decision.
However, a government backbencher who works in the medical field has backed the contentious move, arguing the extra sessions were "poorly targeted".
The number of subsidised mental health sessions under the Better Access program was doubled in 2020 as part of the former government's responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr Butler on Monday announced the emergency measure would not be extended beyond December 31 after the findings of an independent review of the program.
The University of Melbourne review found the program was not serving those who needed it most.
However, the report did not recommend slashing the number of sessions.
Instead, it said the extra 10 sessions should continue to be made available and targeted at those with complex mental health needs.
Mr Burns said in his statement: "I believe that whilst there are challenges in managing access to services, the answer is not to reduce support for those who need it".
"For those people who require more than 10 sessions of Medicare-funded mental healthcare, the extra sessions can be the difference between someone's anxiety increasing or being effectively managed," he said.
Mr Burns said he had spoken to both Mr Butler and assistant minister for mental health Emma McBride in the past 24 hours about the cuts.
"I think we need to reconsider this decision," Mr Burns said.
Mr Butler defended cutting the number of subsidised sessions on ABC radio on Wednesday morning, saying the additional 10 sessions were preventing more people from seeking help and "cutting more people out of the system".
"The number of new patients able to get any psychological support actually went backwards by 7 per cent," Mr Butler said.
"So a whole lot of existing patients got more service, even though they didn't necessarily have more complex needs, but people trying to get into the system had barriers to get in."
Labor MP and pediatrician Mike Freelander supported the government's decision, echoing Mr Butler's comments about the inequities of the program.
Dr Freelander said people in poorer electorates such as his south-west Sydney seat of Macarthur could not access the additional sessions because the fees were too high and there was a lack of psychologists.
"A lot of these extra visits that are being used are not properly targeted," he told The Canberra Times.
"I think the wealthier electorates are the ones that are taking it up and poorer electorates like mine can't."
Dr Freelander said there was much more "targeted and better ways" of using taxpayer funds to address mental health.
"I would like to see staff psychologists in our major hospitals based in emergency departments," he said.
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