What the Royal Commission said
The Royal Commission called for a new approach to regional governance and commissioning. This is part of its vision for the new mental health and wellbeing system.
The new approach will involve:
- establishing eight interim regional bodies. The interim regional bodies will provide advice to the Department of Health about mental health and wellbeing services in each region. This includes the planning, commissioning, coordination, funding and monitoring of services.
- replacing the interim regional bodies with legislated Regional Mental Health and Wellbeing Boards. This will happen before end of 2023.
- establishing multi-agency panels. The panels will coordinate services for people living with mental illness or psychological distress who need ongoing intensive treatment, care and support.
The interim regional bodies and boards will include people with lived experience. At least one consumer and one carer will be on each interim body and Regional Board.
What are the opportunities?
This is a significant transformation to the way decisions about mental health services are made. It will be a staged approach over six years to implement the function of the new Regional Boards whilst building trusting partnerships between these new entities, the Department of Health, service providers and their respective communities. This includes relationships with public health services and public hospitals which will continue to be accountable for delivering health services.
What are we doing?
We are working to establish the eight interim regional bodies. We will work with stakeholders throughout this process. We will have more information to share soon.
Reviewed 17 March 2022