Antidepressant prescribing survey

Antidepressant medication prescribing: Your voice matters

In June 2020, the Australian Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Mental Health found a high rate of antidepressant medications being prescribed in Australia. It also showed that there are increasing rates of mental illness, particularly in children and young people. 

We invite RACP Paediatrics and Child Health Division members to take part in a very important survey. A review is being undertaken by Nous Group on behalf of the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care to understand what is driving this increase in antidepressant prescribing, particularly for children and young people. The review seeks to identify options to support care providers to appropriately prescribe or appropriately not prescribe antidepressants.

Focus groups, including with members of the RACP Paediatrics & Child Health Division, have recently been conducted to allow a deep dive into this issue. As a next step, a survey is available to collect further information.

Take survey

What is this survey about?

This survey takes less than ten minutes to complete. It is an important opportunity for the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care to hear your views on the key drivers of antidepressant prescribing behaviours. It will help determine what might be done to support healthcare providers to provide best practice management of mental health conditions, with a focus on children and young people. 

The views of multiple care providers, including GPs, rural GPs and/or generalists, psychiatrists, paediatricians and psychologists, are critical to this review.

The survey is open until Thursday, 18 August. We encourage all PCHD members to participate.

Take survey