Second National Mental Health Plan | ||||
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Policy Lever | Policy Objective | Proposal(s) | Success | Failure |
Organisation | RCN Formalise consumer/carer consultation | Increase public and private sector organisations with formal consumer/carer consultation | O- Substantively met | R- Low level of genuine involvement or consultation TG- Public/consumer dissatisfaction (perceived change as insufficient) |
R&SA Increase early intervention services for youth | Provide specialist centres for youth early intervention, including assessment and treatment | O- Partially met R- Specialist centres and early intervention services increased | R- Not all groups’ needs met TG- Not all groups’ needs met | |
R&SA Improve service provision for special needs populations | Develop new specialised service models | O- Not met R- Interventions underdeveloped Needs of CALD population not met Lack of service integration TG- Consumers not satisfied with level of change achieved/scale of impact | ||
R&SA Improve mental health curricula for Indigenous health workforce | Improve mental health curricula for Indigenous health workforce | O- Partially met R- Mental health curricula and culturally appropriate service models developed | O- Not met R- Shortage of health workers Ongoing need to improve links with mainstream services | |
SS Shift acute beds to general hospitals | Relocate beds in stand-alone facilities to general hospitals | O- Substantively met R- Beds from stand-alone facilities relocated to general hospitals | ||
SS Improve coordination of care across service providers | Formal protocols and agreements to support continuity of care | O- Partially met – system introduced | R- Under-utilisation of case managers service Little measurable improvement in continuity of care TG- Community and public dissatisfaction | |
Regulation | SQ&E Increased accountability for reform outcomes | Develop and apply new outcome measures | O- Partially met | R- Mental health workforce remain reluctant to participate in routine outcome monitoring TG- Consumers dissatisfied with progress |
SQ&E Improve service quality and standards | National Standards for Mental Health Services | O- Partially met | R- Mental health workforce remain reluctant to participate in routine outcome monitoring TG- Consumers dissatisfied with progress | |
SS Improve coordination of care across sectors | Review interagency protocols to support continuity of care | O- Partially met | R- Lack of accountability Inadequate progress | |
Finance | R&SA Increase Federal and State/Territory expenditure on mental health | Review allocations under the general health budget for Federal and State/Territory Governments | O- Partially met | R- Size of sector did not increase Variable spending across jurisdictions |
R&SA Increase the size of community-based service sector | Grow 24-h staffed community based residential services Increase government spending on community services | O- Partially met | R- Low increase in services compared with closure of hospital services TG- Consumers report dissatisfaction with improvements | |
Community Education | HR&CA Reduce discrimination and stigmatisation of mental health consumers | Review media portrayal of mental illness | O- Partially met R- Review conducted Strategies implemented I- Use of innovative approach to engage general public in monitoring | R- No outcome measures collected to compare with baseline |
HR&CA Improve mental health literacy (health workers) | Provide mental health training to frontline workers | O- Partially met R- Education materials developed Strategies implemented | R- Consumers and carers continue to experience stigmatisation and discrimination (by professionals both inside and outside health sector) | |
HR&CA Improve mental health literacy (general public) | Frontline service providers to distribute mental health brochures to patients Educate school children about mental health | O- Partially met O- Information material availability and distribution improved Community telephone survey suggested that people consider mental health to be a serious problem and to be more prevalent than in previous decades | O- Little or no substantial improvement in health literacy R- Materials do not suit all groups (i.e. exclude CALD and other minority groups) | |
Payment | SS Ensure better links between primary and secondary providers | Introduce new funding models Review existing MBS items | O- Substantively met | |
R&SA Improve service provision in rural/remote areas | Introduce new specialised funding models | O- Partially met R- Increase in dedicated service programs Improvement in recognition of special needs of this group | O- Most of NMHS objectives tailored to metropolitan areas R- Service gaps and workforce shortages in rural and regional areas remain |