Front Line Voices Welcome Senate Inquiry

Front line workers will be making their voices heard in the Senate inquiry into mental health, the Mental Health Workers Alliance said today.

The Alliance said it would be making a detailed submission to the inquiry in which it would call for an end to blame shifting between the state and federal levels of government and would call for a coordinated approach.

Efforts must be made to address the impact of system failure on those living with mental illnesses, their carers, and all front line workers struggling to provide first class care in an under-resourced and poorly coordinated industry.

Front line health, police, emergency, and community care workers are faced with the shortcomings of the mental health system every day and are among the best placed to highlight areas where change is most needed.

In its submission to the inquiry the Alliance will call for a focus on its Five Step Program for a Saner Mental Health System, namely:

1. Appropriate funding for mental health by increasing the mental health proportion of the State health budget to at least 12%, as recommended by the Mental Health Council of Australia, and for mental health expenditure to be transparent and quarantined.

2. Better resourcing for long term supported accommodation options for all people with mental illnesses, including homeless people.

3. Increasing the capacity of inpatient units and community services to guarantee 24 hour access to those in need of treatment.

4. Appropriate crisis care, including 24 hour mental health expertise in emergency departments and community teams, to alleviate pressure on front line emergency services.

5. Addressing the problems of recruitment and retention in the sector by providing incentives to enter employment, enhancing access to training schemes, and providing support for learning and development opportunities.

The MHWA represents members of the Police Association, the NSW Nurses Association, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation, the Health Services Union and the Australian Services Union.

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