the proportions receiving psychotherapy were only half of this and respectively figure the better access to psychiatrists psychologists and general practitioners trough the medicare benefits schedule initiative the access to allied psychological services initiative as well as other programmes like online supports the mental health online portal and virtual clinic are targeted on improved treatment and management of mental illness in the community to a closer collaboration between gps and mental health specialists and to increased referrals from gp professionals providing psychological treatment it may also to some extent reflect the relative costs of the two approaches with medication generally being cheaper than sustained professional therapy visits