AMA Submission to Review of Mental health Services
The AMA recently made a submission to the Review of Mental Health Services and Programmes being conducted by the National Mental Health Commission.
The review aims to examine existing mental health services and programmes across the government, private and non-government sectors. The focus of the review will be to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of programmes and services and should identify gaps in service delivery, duplication and excessive red tape.
The AMA submission to the review highlighted a range of issues that need to be addressed to improve mental health services, including identifying gaps in the transition from institutional to community-based care and the need for greater support for general practitioners and private psychiatrists in providing access to care. The submission also discussed the need for sustained support for acute care settings and for improved mental health support to medical professionals themselves. The importance of addressing the mental health needs of particular groups, including the elderly, those living in rural and remote areas, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, those in the criminal justice system, and asylum seekers in detention, was also discussed.
More than 1700 online and paper submissions were received by the Commission, which will use the information for its interim report to Government, due on 30 June 2014. The final report will be provided to the Government by 30 November 2014.
AMA Submission to the 2014 Review of Mental Health Services and Programs.
Image by Pascal on Flickr, used under Creative Commons licence
