With more awareness raised in mental health, are we also doing more to improve affordability and accessibility of quality care and treatment? Former NMP Anthea Ong weighs in.
COST IS STILL A BARRIER TO QUALITY MENTAL HEALTHCARE
With an adult resident population of about 2.7 million in 2022, this potentially translates to a treatment gap of more than 103,000 adult residents forgoingIt’s no surprise therefore that in the 2021 AreWeOkay public consultation by SG Mental Health Matters, the team found a high consensus amongst the 561 respondents around cost being a barrier to mental healthcare access; 78.
The longer it takes for someone to receive help, the more difficult their recovery can be. Delays in treatment time can cause other serious consequences too, such as limiting social and occupational opportunities, and increasing the risk of depression and substance use challenges. In the community, there were 491 registered counsellors and clinical supervisors with the Singapore Association for Counselling as of February 2022, which translates to 8.6 counsellors per 100,000 population but some of these counsellors might have already been included in the ratio of psychologists.
Increasing funding for and expanding the use of MediSave monies for consultation at government-funded community mental health agencies such as Samaritans of Singapore, Caregivers Alliance and Shan You Counselling may help to lighten the load on our public healthcare institutions. Teleconsultation and digital mental health are also helping to meet increasing demand., Health Minister Ong Ye Kung has committed to it being included in the future. I hope this will be sooner rather than later.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Commentary: Digital detox is a fantasy, do this insteadMost of us can't truly break free from our devices. But we can make more time for offline fun, says Bloomberg Opinion's Sarah Green Carmichael.
Read more »
Commentary: Hong Kong risks an irreversible tech brain drainThe only way to stop Hong Kong’s talent exodus is to reverse its political course, but this will not happen, says a former Hong Kong Legislative Council member.
Read more »
Commentary: Cars are getting more expensive in Singapore - but people still want driving licencesWith Singapore’s public transport system levelling up and ride-hailing apps now the norm, driving your own car is no longer the symbol of freedom and independence it once was, says Annie Tan.
Read more »
Former Malaysian PM Mahathir joins little-known party PutraIt is not known if Dr Mahathi will hold any posts in Putra. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Read more »
Former national athletes launched ‘Tchoukball 100 Days Fundraising Challenge’ - Singapore NewsIt was discovered that the association is not only managed by a group of passionate volunteers but is also self-funded as they do not receive any additional funds from the authority, unlike the other national sports association.
Read more »
Former Singapore national football captain Shahril Ishak announces his retirement - Singapore News“This was an extremely difficult decision, but I felt it was time. Everything has a beginning and an end. After 19 years I made the decision to end my career as a professional football player,” he said.
Read more »