Department of Health

Victoria's Chief Mental Health Nurse provides leadership and promotes collaboration between the Department of Health and the mental health nursing profession.

The Chief Mental Health Nurse represents the profession at all levels of government and across all health service sectors, and promotes recognition of the mental health nursing profession.

The position has a focus on education and training initiatives, promoting best practice standards, workforce planning and development, and professional leadership.

Victoria’s Chief Mental Health Nurse is Anna Love.

Office of the Chief Mental Health Nurse

The Office of the Chief Mental Health Nurse provides leadership to, and advocacy for, consumers, the mental health sector and mental health nurses. The Office drives best practice to deliver positive and recovery-focused outcomes for consumers who access Victorian mental health services.

The Office aims to improve the experience of care for consumers and their family and carers by supporting quality improvement and encouraging the uptake of best-practice approaches to care in services. Our activities support a range of mental health reform initiatives in Victoria, including the implementation of the Mental Health Act 2014 and Victorian Government priorities for recovery-oriented practice, as well as safety and reducing restrictive practices.

The Office provides practice leadership and evidence-informed directions and recommendations for mental health nursing practice, policy and service design that has an impact on the workforce, at the to promote continuous improvement in client outcomes.

The Office of the Chief Mental Health Nurse is part of the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist within the Department of Health.

Functions

The functions of the Chief Mental Health Nurse are to:

  • provide mental health nursing leadership and advice to government and the public and private health and education sectors
  • undertake initiatives to support and enhance mental health nursing practice
  • represent mental health nursing on a range of advisory and reference groups both within and external to the Department of Health and Human Services, at state and national levels
  • support the delivery of clinical quality and safety within our funded services.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022

Victoria's Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022is a key element to the government's mental health reform agenda, and places individuals and carers at the centre of mental health treatment and care.

Reviewed 13 September 2023

Health.vic

Contact details

Anna Love is Victoria's Chief Mental Health Nurse.

Chief Mental Health Nurse Department of Health and Human Services

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