5 December 2007

The shortage of appropriate accommodation past the acute stage of mental illness is effectively denying the civil liberties of many of the State’s public mental health patients, Public Advocate Ms Colleen Pearce, said today.

Ms Pearce said many patients are remaining in acute care units well past the time when they need this level of clinical care, with its associated practices and restrictions.

Ms Pearce, also the Chair of the Community Visitors Board, was speaking following the tabling in Parliament today of the Office of the Public Advocate’s Community Visitor program annual report covering mental health. It was tabled on International Volunteer Day and in the 20th year of the Community Volunteers Program.

Four of the report’s nine recommendations relate to the accommodation of the State’s mental health patients.

“The Board has welcomed implementation of mental health initiatives in Victoria announced in the May 2006 State Budget,” Ms Pearce said.

“This report details many current shortfalls in service provision, in particular, the shortage of beds features as it has since 2003. The findings of the Community Visitors during the year are largely about bed shortages.

“It is an effective breach of a person’s civil liberties if they are being held in an environment in which their rehabilitation is being delayed because they can’t access the next level of service,” Ms Pearce said.

“Community Visitors recommend the Victorian Government continues to explore ways of providing the necessary care and accommodation of patients as they transition through the mental health system,” Ms Pearce said.

“The Board remains concerned that, while there were significant funds announced by the Federal Government in 2006 and encouraging signs towards a much-improved state mental health system, the delays in the implementation impact on the day-to-day lives of people with a mental illness.”

In addition, Community Visitor Board (Mental Health) member, Ruth Baker, said that a new type of care needed to be developed for patients with complex needs who no longer needed to be locked up.

“The proposed facility for 120 patients at the Heidelberg Repatriation site would be an appropriate place to develop different types of care which matched the specific needs of individuals,” Ms Baker said.

Community Visitors is a volunteer program run by the Office of the Public Advocate visiting patients and residents in 106 mental health facilities providing 24-hour nursing care, people with a disability in Community Residential Units, and vulnerable people in Supported Residential Services.

Community Visitors made 1251 unannounced visit to mental health units to advocate for the needs of patients during 2006-07. The Visitors are appointed by the Governor in Council and, in the mental health stream, their work is governed by provisions of the Mental Health Act 1986.

Copies of the Community Visitors Annual Report 2007 (Mental Health) can be downloaded from the Public Advocate website: http://www.publicadvocate.vic.gov.au/

Media enquiries: Sally Gibson (03) 9603 9500