Active Farmers support mental health

Dokotela will join a range of other service providers under the Active Farmers umbrella, all aiming to improve mental health of farmers and community members.

Dokotela founder Anita Mustac says that whilst some video conferencing is available, this is the first Australian service focused on mental health and utilising integrated technology to make the process seamless and empower the patient. The service makes it easy to find and book psychiatrists online.

 “The long waiting times, high out of pocket costs and the fear of being seen visiting a psychiatrist is costing lives and something needs to be done about it.”

“So far we have had a great response from our customers. They appreciate the convenience, minimal waiting periods, ease-of-use, lower out-of-pocket expenses as well as the security and confidentiality,” Ms Mustac said.

Consultations generally take place from a local GP office. Usually, the GP attends part of the consult after which the psychiatrist provides them with a 12 month management plan. The psychiatrist is then available for additional consultations, support and input as required.

Active Farmers General Manager, Ginny Stevens believes this service has the capacity to break down barriers that could be preventing those suffering from getting help.

“We want farmers and local community members to take their mental health seriously. We encourage everyone to get involved and make the most of all services available through Active Farmers which also includes group fitness, nutrition, mindfulness and financial advice,” Mrs Stevens said .

Dokotela was born after Ms Mustac spoke to a friend struggling with mental health issues.

She was based in remote NSW for work and found it difficult to access the care she needed.

Ms Mustac learnt that video consults were not being more widely used because there was no user-friendly platform.

The Government recently announced an initiative to subsidise psychologists’ consultations under Medicare from November this year. Dokotela intends to integrate psychology onto their platform once this is available.

Dokotela’s mission is to ensure every Australian receives the best specialist mental health care possible. It connects people to a panel of highly experienced psychiatrists via video conference. The service is accessible, convenient, quick, cost effective and easy to use.