Keep Community Visitors Independent
14/11/2011
Kelly Vincent MLC supports Public Advocate John Brayley in his call to make a Mental Health Community Visitors Scheme independent of the Health Department.
“Dr Brayley’s call to remove the Community Visitors scheme from the department which it is supposed to be evaluating makes perfect sense,” says Ms Vincent.
“A person who is not only paid by, but also works within, a Health Department office will understandably feel some pressure to moderate their criticism of services provided by the Department. This may not be the intention of the Government, but it is the reality of this situation. A Community Visitor must be 100 per cent objective. Otherwise this entire scheme will consist of the Government ‘watching’ itself, and how can that be of any real benefit?”
“I join Dr Brayley in his call for an independent funding source and an independent administrative base for the Community Visitors Scheme. Only with these characteristics will a scheme actually be successful in improving the rights of people with mental health problems.”
Ms Vincent is planning to introduce legislation which establishes a similar Community Visitors Scheme for disability services. Her legislation will require community visitors to report back to an independently established board who report to an independent body, such as the Public Advocate or the Health and Community Services Complaints Commissioner.
