Recommendation 13

Addressing gender-based violence in mental health facilities

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What the Royal Commission said

The Royal Commission recommends that the Victorian Government:

  1. ensure that all new mental health inpatient facilities:
    1. are built and designed with the necessary scale and flexible infrastructure to enable gender-based separation in all bedrooms and bathrooms; and
    2. provide separate communal spaces as required.
  2. by mid-2022, ensure that existing high dependency units in inpatient facilities allow for gender-based separation.
  3. review and retrofit existing inpatient facilities on a case-by-case basis to:
  4. achieve gender-based separation where possible; and
  5. as a matter of priority, ensure that each facility meets the minimum standards for gender safety set out in the Chief Psychiatrist’s guideline: Promoting sexual safety, responding to sexual activity and managing allegations of sexual assault in adult acute inpatient units.
  6. ensure that the Mental Health and Wellbeing Division supports mental health and wellbeing services to eliminate sexual and gender-based violence in bed-based service settings.

What we’ve achieved

Mental Health Beds Expansion Program

  • The Victorian Government responded to recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System to deliver 234 new acute public mental health beds.
  • The project has increased capacity, reduced pressure on emergency departments, and provided additional support for people experiencing mental illness who require immediate treatment in a contemporary, safe and high-quality setting.
  • The new hospital-based beds and services are located at:

Upgrades to Mental Health Intensive Care Areas

  • Mental Health Intensive Care Areas (ICAs) are discrete spaces within a mental health acute inpatient unit. They are dedicated to the safe treatment of people with increased risk and vulnerability.
  • The Victorian Government is upgrading 24 Mental Health ICAs <https://www.vhba.vic.gov.au/news/upgrades-mental-health-intensive-care-…; across the state to ensure they are fit-for-purpose, including:
    • reconfiguring bedrooms so they have their own ensuite - this supports gender safety
    • reconfiguring key spaces to improve visibility
    • creating secure indoor and outdoor spaces. This can include gender-specific lounge areas, sensory rooms and kitchenettes.
  • Upgrades have been completed at 21 Mental Health ICAs, including Acute Adult ICAs at:
    • Bendigo Hospital
    • Box Hill Hospital
    • Broadmeadows Hospital
    • Casey Hospital
    • Footscray Hospital
    • Maroondah Hospital
    • Monash Medical Centre
    • Northern Hospital
    • Wangaratta Hospital
    • Werribee Mercy Hospital
    • Latrobe Regional Hospital.
  • And Acute Adolescent ICAs at
    • Box Hill Hospital
    • Monash Medical Centre
    • Royal Children's Hospital.

What we’re doing

  • Work is underway to deliver additional mental health acute beds at Warrnambool, Shepparton and Melton, with planning completed for more beds at Ballarat and Wangaratta.
  • A further three upgrades to ICA’s across Victoria are in delivery, design or planning.
  • These upgrades will make mental health services safer, responding to a key recommendation from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

Updated

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