The COVID-19 pandemic has seen an increase in new mental health diagnoses by GPs, particularly anxiety-related, along with a steady increase in antidepressant prescribing and a marked increase in anxiolytic prescribing, the latest data from Outcome Health's POLAR GP tool shows.

Outcome Health is recommending that the government give more support to general practice by encouraging longer consultations in a variety of modes, including telehealth, and should consider an MBS item number for nurse check-in on isolated patients via telehealth.