'SPHERE: a national mental health project' is an educational project aimed at increasing GP's rate of identification, effective treatment and management of common psychological disorders. For example: depression, anxiety and somatic distress (physical pain).

The SPHERE Project has four basic components:

1. A 'Case-Identification System' that screens all practice attendees for psychological and somatic distress;
2. Ongoing and diversified continuing professional development (CPD) programs;
3. A 12-Month 'Disease Management Program' for patients who have psychological disorders; and,
4. Ongoing support for GP's through training materials patient information and Internet-based support systems.

The SPHERE Project has a number of learning modules available, but for GPs to access the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative incentive payments, they need to have completed an accredited mental health education activity as determined by the General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration.

For this purpose the SPHERE Introductory to Depression & Anxiety training program for GPs has been approved by the Standards Collaboration as an accredited program for Level One of the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative.

The Introductory Training Program is based on a depression and anxiety model, and demonstrates how to use and transfer generic knowledge and skills across a wide range of patients and disorders.

It is a nine (9) hour program. The SPHERE Introductory training program for GPs has been adjudicated by the RACGP as a 30 Category 1 activity, provided that all components of the program are completed (including pre-disposing & reinforcing tasks). Successful completion of all requirements will provide GPs with eligibility to apply for Level One registration with the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative.

The SPHERE Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Strategies course has been approved by the Standards Collaboration as an accredited training program for Level Two of the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative.

Level Two training looks at the delivery of Focused Psychological Strategies (FPS) in general practice via the use of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

It is a 20 hour program, comprising workshop and distant learning components. The SPHERE CBT training program for GPs has been adjudicated by the RACGP as a 60 Category 1 activity, provided that all components of the program are completed (including pre-disposing & reinforcing tasks). Successful completion of all requirements will provide GPs with eligibility to apply for Level Two registration with the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative (providing that the GP has previously registered for Level One), which will enable GPs to claim new MBS item numbers for providing FPS.

As part of the SPHERE program, a new Level Two Ongoing online training module is in development that will allow GPs who are currently Level Two registered to maintain their Level Two registration with the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative.

The SPHERE Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Refresher course is a six hour training program for GPs that refreshes the key therapeutic techniques of CBT and builds upon this knowledge through the use of clinical case studies. GPs can participate in the SPHERE CBT course online via the SPHERE website from September, 2007. Please continue to monitor the SPHERE website for more updates about this program.

Further details of this course are located under the SPHERE 2005-2007 triennium info page of this website.

Other SPHERE modules include:

• Positive Management of Persistent Pain
• Mental Disorders in Later Life
• Women's Health and Depression
• Depression in the Medically-Ill
• Depression and Anxiety in the Young