The experience in Victoria with telepsychiatry for the child and adolescent mental health service

In 1995, the Royal Children's Hospital Mental Health Service in Melbourne d eveloped the first telepsychiatry programme in child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) in Australia. A survey of 25 CAMHS clinicians in fi ve rural regions who had used videoconferencing showed that 64% had used th e technology for more than 18 months, and 20% had used it for 7-12 months. Also, 60% had used the technology on over 30 occasions, and 24% had used it on 20-29 occasions. Respondents clearly recognized its benefits in terms o f their increased knowledge and skills (96%), strengthening of relationship s with colleagues (92%) and decreased sense of isolation (92%). To build on the success of telepsychiatry there are a number of challenges that health service managers will need to address. Telepsychiatry works most effective ly as a tool to complement face-to-face contact. It cannot be promoted as t he total solution to the issue of isolation from mainstream services.