Page 4368 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 13 October 2009
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The members of the Ministerial Advisory Council on Mental Health represent individuals rather than organisations or sectors, but of course they all come with a background from a particular sector within the mental health community and all have particular mental health expertise in their own area. This expertise may include the experience of a mental illness, either as a consumer or carer, or vocational or academic proficiency in mental health.
The council members, Professor Beverley Raphael, Ms Leanne Wells, Ms Catherine Settle, Ms Judy Bentley, Mr Wilf Rath and Mr Simon Rosenberg, are also recognised for their contribution to the community. Last week’s meeting was very productive—I can report, with a great deal of enthusiasm by all—and I am sure that the council will provide the government, and indeed through the government the Assembly, with invaluable advice over the coming years.
I should say that I have taken the decision to chair that council, just so that I am very much a part of and listening to the discussions as they are generated through that council in terms of some of the big policy issues that we are going to have over the next few years, dealing with the development of health legislation and mental health policy and in planning for the new suite of mental health facilities, all of which fall under the terms of reference of this group.
The group will provide ongoing advice on service reform and legislative change and will ensure that new mental health initiatives do not contravene human rights or antidiscrimination provisions relevant to mental health consumers and carers.
In terms of the capital asset development plan, members are aware of the plans for the new purpose-built facilities at the Canberra Hospital. The mental health assessment unit, which is a six-bed unit which will open in the emergency department, is due for completion in December 2009 and it will open in the new year once staff have been recruited to that service. That will allow for mental health patients presenting to the emergency department with a mental illness to be dealt with by experienced mental health staff within the emergency department—so additional staff, additional bed capacity and, hopefully, a better streamlined service in terms of their experience at the emergency department—should they be admitted to the PSU or indeed go home under some order.
The design of the new adult mental health unit is well underway. I have seen some draft sketches of that facility and I have to say that it could be the fact that it is replacing such a terrible facility that makes it look absolutely tremendous, but the use of light, the use of gardens, the breakout spaces, the areas to eat and the areas for people to withdraw to at times when they want to be on their own will greatly improve the environment for adults who have to spend time in the inpatient facility at Canberra Hospital.
The design is extremely conscious of the therapeutic benefits of open space, sunlight and aspect for the consumers who will use the facility. The design has taken into account the use of the block of land immediately adjacent to Hindmarsh Drive and Yamba Drive to allow the building to focus on access to light, views and landscaped areas, both inside and outside. There is plenty of socialisation space. Bedrooms are
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