As we welcome Victoria’s new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022, we met with our Program Director of Mental Health, Professor Megan Galbally, to learn about the new Act and what it means for the future of mental health.
1. What are the key changes that the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 brings and what changes should we anticipate for mental health services across Victoria?
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 represents a significant shift towards a more choice-based and person-centred approach. It places a stronger emphasis on promoting the freedom, dignity, and autonomy of consumers. We anticipate that this change will lead to more empowering and inclusive care experiences for our consumers and will bring a sense of autonomy in their treatment journey. For our teams, we can expect to see an emphasis on collaboration and greater integration between care teams, as well as a focus on putting lived experience at the centre of decision-making.
2. The Act emphasises early intervention and diversity of care, how do you envision that our services will be able to adapt to support Victorians in their communities?
We are actively working on enhancing outreach and support services. We are working to strengthen our collaboration with community partners and local support networks to ensure timely access to care, for example, through the development of our Mental Health Hubs and Children’s Health and Wellbeing Locals. Our goal is to provide comprehensive support that extends beyond the hospital, reaching individuals in their communities when they need it most. This work aligns closely with our Excellence in Timely Care work, which is about ensuring that care is available to our patients at the right time, in the right place, in the best way.
3. The Act places a strong emphasis on promoting the rights, dignity, and autonomy of individuals. How will this impact the patient experience?
The promotion of rights, dignity, and autonomy are at the core of our patient-centred care model. We plan to implement shared decision-making practices, ensuring that consumers have an active voice in their treatment plans.
4. The Act recognises the value of lived experience in shaping mental health services. How will this translate into our approach at Monash Health?
We recognise the value of lived experiences, and we are actively working to integrate this perspective into our care environment as part of our Mental Health Program Principles work. We continuously engage individuals with lived experience in the development and evaluation of our services, including in the team that is bringing education in the new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022.
5. Looking to the future, how do you envision the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act shaping the trajectory of mental health care across the broader community?
The Act represents a transformative shift in mental health care. We envision a mental health system that is more accessible, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of consumers. Our hope is that the Act will pave the way for a future where mental health services are readily available, stigma-free, and supportive for everyone in our community. It will support much the work that we have already commenced at Monash Health in this space.
To learn more about the new Act, read our FAQs and access important resources see The Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 comes into law on 1 September: are you ready?
Approved by Andrew Perta, Interim Chief Operating Officer, Aged, Community and Mental Health