Historic moment as the Victorian Government releases final report of Royal Commission into Victoria's mental health system

The Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System has released its final report, which was tabled in the Victorian Parliament on 2 March 2021.

The report envisages a fundamental restructuring of mental health care, recommending major changes to funding, infrastructure and service delivery - continuing the messaging and the delivery that began with the interim report.

The Premier has announced that the Victorian Government accepts all 65 recommendations from the 5-volume report and will move immediately to implementation.

The final report has major implications for Health planning, procurement, governance and individual consumer/patient needs.

Some of the overarching changes to expect from the implementation of the recommendations include:

• new mental health legislation with a focus on accountability and service monitoring
• establishment of a Cabinet sub-committee on mental health, a new Chief Officer of Mental Health in the Department of Health, and a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission to operate as a complaints body
• increase in the capacity of community-based services
• phasing out use of seclusion and restraint in treatment and making compulsory treatments an option of last resort
• establishment across the state of community-based adult mental health services, high-level treatment services delivered in partnership with local hospitals, and specific services for young people
• division of Victoria into eight regions for mental health purposes, each having at least one emergency department able to deal with mental health crisis and addiction treatment
• improved access to services in rural and regional areas and incentives provided to attract and retain workers in rural areas
• a portion of the homes being built as part of Victoria's public housing project to be set aside as supported housing for Victorians living with mental illness
• renovation and expansion of the Thomas Embling secure forensic mental health hospital in Fairfield
• more options for in-home care be established, and an increase in beds available for acute services across the state; and
• equipping the justice system to be better able to assist people with mental health concerns

The VGSO had the privilege of representing the State in its response to the Royal Commission throughout this remarkable journey, and congratulates the Royal Commission, the Victorian Government, and all who have contributed to this historic piece of work.

Contact our team

Please get in touch if we can assist you in considering the final report and its implications by contacting​:

Alex Murphy, Assistant Victorian Government Solicitor
0407932683
alex.murphy@vgso.vic.gov.au

Or one of our royal commission and inquiry team members.

The information is of a general nature only and does not convey or contain legal advice. If you would like to obtain legal advice in relation to any matter discussed on this page, please contact us.