Department of Health

Restrictive interventions

Chief Psychiatrist’s guideline and reporting directive on Restrictive interventions under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022.

What's new

The updated Chief Psychiatrist’s clinical guideline and reporting directive on restrictive interventions include information on emergency departments and urgent care centres of designated mental health services. Under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022, these settings commence reporting restrictive interventions to the Chief Psychiatrist on 1 April 2024.

The following documents come into effect on Monday 1 April at 12.01am. They will supersede the Chief Psychiatrist's interim guideline for restrictive interventions and the Chief Psychiatrist's reporting directive for restrictive interventions - September 2023.

Chief Psychiatrist’s guideline

This guideline has been developed to assist designated mental health services to meet their legal obligations under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 and understand the Chief Psychiatrist’s expectations of best practice when using restrictive interventions.

It has information on:

  • legislative definitions of restrictive interventions under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022
  • legal requirements under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 that must be met before, during and after a restrictive intervention
  • contemporary understandings of clinical best practice for restrictive interventions
  • the rights of people receiving mental health treatment and care in Victoria.


Chief Psychiatrist’s reporting directive

The Chief Psychiatrist has issued a reporting directive to assist designated mental health services to meet their obligations under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022 to report the use of restrictive interventions.

The directive applies in all settings of designated mental health services, including their emergency departments and urgent care centres.

The directive:

  • defines restrictive interventions
  • outlines the specific details about restrictive interventions that must be reported to the Chief Psychiatrist
  • outlines the process that must be followed to satisfactorily report restrictive interventions.

The directive also highlights new reporting requirements on the use of chemical restraint under the Mental Health and Wellbeing Act 2022.

Reviewed 28 March 2024

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Office of the Chief Psychiatrist

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