By Laura Michell
More women than men living in Melbourne’s northern and western suburbs experience anxiety and depression, while depression is one of the top mental health conditions diagnosed by GPs in the region, a new report into the mental health needs has revealed.
The North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) Mental Health – Health Needs Assessment report examined the mental health and care needs of the 1.9 million people living in the network’s 3200 square-kilometre catchment, which comprises 13 local government areas, including Wyndham, Hume, Brimbank and Melton.
The report synthesises data from various sources such as the Australian Bureau of Statistics census, mental health-related hospital admissions and emergency department presentations, general practice mental health diagnoses, demand for appointments and community health service use and demand.
It also includes detailed insights from conversations with more than 170 people, including community members with living experience of mental health issues, carers and representatives from 68 health care organisations.
The report identified Hume, Wyndham, and Brimbank as having the highest quantified mental health need.
Anxiety and depression were the leading self-reported chronic mental health conditions across the north-west, with depression being more prevalent in adults aged over 80 than any other age cohort.
The report found that Melton had higher rates of social disadvantage across multiple indicators that can affect mental health and wellbeing, specifically, housing stress and food insecurity, when compared to the rest of Victoria.
Melton was also found to have a high level of need related to risk factors associated with poor mental health, in particular, developmental vulnerability, family violence and high rates of children living with obesity highlighting a need for support specified towards childhood development and family.
The report found that Melton experiences significant shortages in the healthcare workforce, particularly in the availability of GPs and psychologists.
“The low liveability index, reflecting deficiencies in public transport and overall health infrastructure, in combination with workforce shortages poses environmental barriers that may contribute to low utilisation of essential services, including mental health services,” the report stated.
NWMPHN service development and reform executive director Jag Dhaliwal said the report was a key tool in understanding where mental health services are most needed.
“It allows us, with the broader health care sector, to allocate resources more efficiently and economically, delivering better care to the people who need it, and driving value for taxpayer money at the same time,” he said.
