Multidisciplinary Approach To Mental Health Welcome, Australia

Main Category: Mental Health
Article Date: 18 Apr 2008 - 6:00 PDT

email to a friend   printer friendly   view / write opinions   rate article

The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) welcomed the Health Minister's announcements of an extra $15 million for multidisciplinary mental health education, and improved incentives to encourage mental health nurses to remain in the workforce.

Ged Kearney ANF National Secretary said the Government's National Mental Health Report 2007 shows fractured services and workforce shortages. With the extent of mental illness predicted to affect more than 20% of Australian adults and between 10-15% of young people, it is essential that measures be taken to address these inadequacies in mental health services.

It is pleasing to see the government taking a multidisciplinary approach to this issue. Mental health nurses play a vital and expansive role in delivering mental health services to our communities. They are at the hard coal face of this sector and maintaining a robust and skilled nursing workforce is essential in establishing a team approach to care delivery. Encouraging the employment of Mental Health nurses in primary care and acknowledging the nursing contribution while ensuring adequate resources are good steps towards addressing retention issues in the sector" Ms Kearney said.

"Maybe we will see the day when excellent clinicians such as mental health nurses can actually practise independently with their services being funded separately by the government and not being directed to a GP or other private provider." Ms Kearney said.

The ANF, representing nearly 160,000 members, is the professional and industrial voice for nurses and midwives in Australia.

Australian Nursing Federation