The Mental Health Commission’s COVID-19 response plan is totally inadequate to address the current prevalence of mental health in the community, and to prevent further anxiety and mental illness arising from the pandemic.

The commission’s coronavirus plan omits measurable outcomes, timeframes, and key performance indicators to track and measure prevention and treatment of mental health conditions linked to the infection.

For example, the plan does not detail how many more psychiatric beds, how many more clinician home visits, or what workforce strategy for regional and remote areas is needed.

But the biggest omission is the plan’s total failure to recognise and embrace the key role of general practice in managing mental health issues in Australia.