Submitted to the Queensland Government Mental Health Select Committee (February 2022).

Dietitians Australia has provided feedback to the Queensland Government’s Mental Health Select Committee about opportunities to improve the mental health of Queenslanders.

Dietitians Australia recommends:

1. A strong focus on nutrition as part of all mental health care with routine inclusion of Accredited Practising Dietitians (APDs) in multidisciplinary mental health care teams
2. Funding for full-time equivalent (FTE) positions for dietitians in State-based government-funded mental health initiatives
3. State Government support for the creation of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items pertaining to depression, other mood disorders and severe mental illness, to include:

• introduction of long and short MBS items for APDs for individual and group consultations, in person and by telehealth
• immediate referral to APDs for people who are prescribed antipsychotics and other psychotropic medications where there are known metabolic side effects

For more download our full submission.