AMA VICDOC Autumn 2024 - Magazine - Page 80
A M AV A DVO CACY
MENTAL HEALTH
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Meeting with Victorian
Mental Health Minister
In late 2023, AMAV held
a cordial and constructive
meeting with the Mental
Health Minister, the Hon.
Ingrid Stitt MLC.
During the meeting,
several key issues were
discussed, including:
1. Mental Health
and Wellbeing Act
implementation
concerns
-
» Concerns were raised
about the lack of initial
guidance to medical
practitioners for
implementing the Mental
Health and Wellbeing Act.
» Different and, at
times, contradictory
communications from
various health services
about the requirements
of the Act were discussed.
2. Resourcing and
workforce issues
-
» Challenges in retention
and recruitment were
addressed, including
the increasing rates of
occupational violence
in public hospitals (i.e.,
tension between OH&S
and the Mental Health
and Wellbeing Act).
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AMA VI C TO RIA
» The meeting touched
upon the rise in
administration and
bureaucracy, as well
as the attrition of senior
staff leading to poorer
outcomes for genuinely
unwell individuals.
3. Challenges within
the Department
-
» Structural issues within
the Department were
identified as an area
of concern.
» Substandard
communication practices
from the Department
and a lack of updates on
the status of projects
related to Seclusion &
Restraint and Compulsory
Assessment & Treatment
were discussed.
AMA Victoria has been
offered regular meetings
with the Minister. We are
hopeful that in 2024,
we can collaborate
more directly with the
Government and the
Department to rebalance
the trajectory of mental
health reform. Our aim is
to ensure that the voice
of the medical community
is heard and incorporated.
MEETING WITH THE OFFICE OF
THE CHIEF PSYCHIATRIST (OCP)
AND MENTAL HEALTH REFORM
ADVOCACY PRIORITIES
---
In late February, AMA
Victoria met with the
OCP to discuss the
implementation of
the Mental Health and
Wellbeing Act (the Act)
in Victorian health
services. Specifically,
our focus was on the
Act’s implementation
in designated Victorian
Emergency Departments
starting from 31 March
31, 2024.
Noting the challenges of
the initial implementation
of 1 September 2023, we
are keen to work with the
OCP, the Department of
Health, and the Victorian
Government to improve
communications to the
medical workforce in the
lead up to 31 March so that
we can proactively address
member concerns.
AMA Victoria strongly
believes that such steps
will be beneficial in
reducing workforce anxiety
that will otherwise arise
from a relative information
vacuum — a view that we
articulated to the OCP.
