Western Victoria PHN (WVPHN) invites individuals across western Victoria to participate in the National Fifth Plan Consumer and Carer surveys provided by the National Mental Health Commission (the Commission).
This year, the Commission is seeking feedback from consumers and carers on their experiences of mental health services in the past 12 months. They have launched two national surveys – one for consumers and one for carers – to better understand their unique experiences and needs.
The perspective of consumers and carers is essential in understanding if the implementation of the Fifth Plan is translating into genuine improvements in experience and outcomes of care. Experiences shared in the surveys will contribute to the development of the Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan, 2020: Consumer and Carer Perspective report.
The surveys will help inform reporting on the progress of mental health and suicide prevention reform in Australia, specifically the Fifth National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Plan.
The survey should take approximately 10 to 30 minutes to complete and will be open until 13 April 2020.
WVPHN’s role in mental health care
In mental health care, WVPHN has a lead role in developing regionally-appropriate suicide prevention activities to support the Federal Government’s National Suicide Prevention Strategy. We are currently developing and coordinating the Ballarat Suicide Prevention Trial and Great South Coast Suicide Prevention Trial as a strategy for reducing the rate of death by suicide.
WVPHN has also commissioned headspace centres throughout our region to provide an additional option for young people aged 12 to 25 seeking mental health support in their local community. The centres also foster relationships with young people and their natural support networks alongside general practitioners, psychologists, psychiatrists, other mental health and drug and alcohol specialists, and support providers in employment, education and training.
Other involvements in mental health care include:
- Mental Health Response to Bushfire Trauma for individuals, frontline workers and communities affected by the recent bushfires;
- Psychological Therapy Services for people experiencing mild to moderate mental illness and those who have attempted, or are at risk of, suicide or self-harm; and
- Services and Treatment for Enduring and Persistent Mental Illness (STEPMI) for people with severe and complex mental illness to improve coordination of their clinical care
The survey results will assist WVPHN’s continuous improvement to quality delivery of mental health care in western Victoria.