Out of Hospital, Out of Mind
OUT OF HOSPITAL, OUT OF MIND REPORT
Australian mental health policy is often depicted as world-leading but, for some time, those using and providing services have claimed the system is characterised by restricted access, variable quality, poor continuity of care, lack of support for recovery from illness and overt or covert human rights abuses.
The report, Out of Hospital,Out of Mind documents the findings of a timely nationwide review in 2002 by the Mental Health Council of Australia (MHCA), the peak non-government association for consumer, carers, professional associations and health care providers in Australia.
For over 10 years, our national policy and government-driven reform processes have championed the appropriate move to non-institutional forms of care. The findings from this national and comprehensive consultation are stark. The overwhelming perception of those who currently use or provide services is that we have now arrived at a position of 'OUT OF HOSPITAL, OUT OF MIND!'. That is, one of the most chronically disadvantaged groups in this country continues to be ignored.
After two 5-year National Mental Health Plans this does not represent a failure of policy, but rather a failure of implementation. This includes poor government administration and accountability, lack of ongoing government commitment to genuine reform and failure to support the degree of community development required to achieve high quality mental health care outside institutions.
Actions urgently required to achieve real mental health reform include:
- Real Monetary Investment Action: Lift mental health
expenditure to at least 12% of total health expenditure (i.e. increase
by 5%) within five years.
- Real Intent, Accountability & National Leadership Action:
Development of an agreement between heads of Australian governments
to support and review mental health reform, and prioritizing an annual
reporting system on progress against agreed service improvements.
- Real & Ongoing Review Action: Establishment
of a permanent independent commission to report on progress of mental
health reform in Australia and investigate ongoing abuse or neglect.
- Real & Sustained Innovation Action: Establishment of a national innovation system with a $100 million initial investment and then supported at a level of 5% of recurrent mental health expenditure annually.