ACIL Allen, on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health, called for submissions on the draft National Mental Health Workforce Strategy.
The National Mental Health Consumer & Carer Forum (NMHCCF) submitted a response to the call for submissions on 30 September 2021.
Reason for the submission
The Australian Government has engaged an independent Taskforce to develop a ten-year National Mental Health Workforce Strategy (Strategy). The Strategy will consider the quality, supply, distribution and structure of the mental health workforce; and will identify practical approaches that could be implemented by Australian governments to attract, train and retain the workforce required to meet the demands of the mental health system in the future.
A Consultation Draft Strategy has been developed, supported by a Background Paper that summarises the evidence on which the Consultation Draft Strategy is based. The Taskforce is seeking comment on the Consultation Draft Strategy.
A final Strategy will be provided to Government in late 2021.
The NMHCCF’s submission focused on the following key points:
- Need for broader view of ‘mental health workforce’ than a traditional clinical workforce.
- Need to take a longer-term, strategic view of the models of care and workforce requirements.
- Further work required regarding stigma and discrimination of and by the workforce.
- Issues regarding retention of the existing workforce.
- Workforce required to address the needs of culturally diverse communities.
- The NMHCCF is greatly concerned that the completion of this Draft Strategy is progressing at a time when very significant reform is occurring in the mental health sector.
- The NMHCCF believes that the finalisation of the Draft Strategy should be paused while other mental health reform activities are being progressed which will provide a clearer direction on the scope and perspective of the Strategy.
- Request for the National Mental Health Commission to lead the Draft Strategy work to ensure it is broader than a traditional health workforce and aligns with the Vision 2030.
Download a copy of the submission
Submission To ACIL Allen on the Draft National Mental Health Workforce Strategy - 30 Sep, 2021
To find out more about the NMHCCF’s other submissions, click here.
View the submission process on the ACIL Allen website
To find out more about this submission process, please visit the ACIL Allen website.
