HSU National welcomes the findings and recommendations contained in the Interim Report from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and notes that this inquiry is a model for other States and Territories to follow.
Branches of the HSU around the country represent frontline staff working in mental health. In Victoria, we represent more than 3,000 mental health professionals employed as nurses, allied health professionals, administrative staff and peer support workers.
The Interim Report of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, released yesterday, clearly echoes the position of our members that a respected, skilled and motivated workforce is essential to the delivery of high-quality mental health services for people living with mental illness.
In particular, we welcome the Commission’s interim recommendations to:
- Immediately boost service capacity via an additional 170 youth and adult acute mental health beds.
- Begin addressing the workforce crisis through expanding the number of funded graduate and postgraduate placements for allied health professionals and nurses (this was a key recommendation in the HSU Victoria No. 2 Branch [HACSU] submission and we are pleased the Commission embraced it).
- Recognise the need for significant investment in mental health services by establishing a levy to directly fund mental health services.
As stated by HSU National Secretary, Lloyd Williams:
“The HSU welcomes the findings and recommendations contained in the Commission’s Interim Report and we hope it provides an example to other States and Territories, as well as the Federal Government, about the need for serious and genuine reform in mental health services.”
“We are pleased that the Commission has recognised mental health professionals as some of the hardest-working, compassionate and dedicated workers in our health system and has committed to genuine workforce development.”
“The HSU looks forward to continuing to work with the Royal Commission as it finalises its important inquiry next year alongside the Productivity Commission’s parallel inquiry into mental health.”
