Analysis of Fourth National Mental Health Plan in Australia

Introduction
In Australia, mental illness is widespread and has significant impact on the social,
personal and economic levels. However, the rate of prevalence varies across the life-span
(Sunderland, Newby & Andrews, 2013). The National Mental Health Strategy has guided the
reforms in mental health in Australia since 1992. The First National Mental Health Plan
represented co-ordinated mental health reform(Commonwealth of Australia(CoA), 2009),
while the second and the third National Mental Health Plansidentified the importance of
cross-sectoral partnership between mental health and well-being while responding to the
complication of mental illness via an integrated service system (CoA, 2009). According to
National Mental Health Plan, mental illness of regarded as the most common and impactful
complication in the areas like oncology, strokes and myocardial infraction. The mental illness
associated with this complex disease affects the quality of life. The comprehensive
implementation of the objectives drafted by the first, second and third National Mental Health
Plan led to a significant change in the mental health condition in Australia (CoA, 2009). This
led to the growth in the state-territory of mental health workforce along with increase in the
quality of the community based service. The Fourth National Mental Health Plan
acknowledges that there is still much to be done in the mental health sector in Australia.
According to the National Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing (2007), conducted by the
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), there is a major disparity in the mental health
condition and available treatment amongst the states and the territories. Only one-third of the
population sufferingfrom mental illness avail mental health services each year. The main
victims of mental illness are early adult population and common mental illnesses are anxiety
and mood disorders. There is also a high demand formental health care in acute and

emergency units. Challenges exist in relationto recruiting and retaining the mental health
workforce. Moreover, mental health consumers still report that they face problems in
accessing comprehensive mental health care. Thus the Fourth National Mental Health Plan
aims to improve these gaps in the mental health procurement in Australia via collaborative
approach that will help in fostering complementary programs that will deliver responsive
services(CoA, 2009). Such a wide mental health improvement perspective as taken by the
Fourth Plan is of interest as it is the first ever plan to highlighta collaborative approach in
mental health(CoA, 2009). Collaborative approach is an important domain of mental health
as it helps in the participation or formation of an inter-disciplinary team and this will in-turn
help the patient of avail an informed yet quality care (Dogra,FrakeWarner-Gale &, Parkin,
2017).
The following report aims to analyse the Fourth National Mental Health Plan based
on the framework of Health Service Planning and Policy Toolkit by World Health
Organisation (2005).
Policy analysis
Understanding on policy
The Fourth National Mental Health Policy came into action when there is a major
focus on the responsibilities and roles of government inside the mental health framework.
The idea of the plan is to guide reform and identify the principal actions that can lead towards
a meaningful progress towards accomplishment of the vision of the second and the third
National Mental Health Policy. The plan was framed to assist the reforms in mental health.
The main priority area of the plan is to promote mental health and wellbeing among the
population of Australia via reducing the impact of mental illness. The reduction in the
chronicity of mental illness will be promoted via addressing the gaps identified within the
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mental healthcare system. The Fourth Plan also recognises the mental health care needs of the
indigenous population in Australia while delivering comprehensive mental health care(CoA,
2009). Thus this plan was different from other plan in the aspect that it adopts a population
based mental health framework. This framework recognises the determinants of mental health
while acknowledging the importance of mental health across the lifespan.
Critical analysisof the policy
Health service planning and policy toolkit by WHO (2005)
Policy selected for Critique
Mental Health Policy by the Department of Health Government of Australia
Policy title
Fourth national mental health plan: an agenda for collaborative government action
in mental health 2009-2014
Reason for selection of policy
Mental illness is widespread in Australia, according to the National Survey of Mental
Health and Wellbeing Australia (2017), one out of the 5 people aged between 16 to 85 years
of age suffers from mental illnesses like anxiety, mood disorders. This cast a substantial
impact on the social, personal and socio-economic domains of life(CoA, 2009). The Fourth
Plan emphasises the manner in which the reforms in the mental health domain can co-relate
with the policy direction of other associated government portfolios with an aim towards
ensuring that people with mental health problems can take advantage from them in the
highest possible manner (CoA, 2009)
.
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Significance of policy for the health of the population
The significance of the policy liesin the fact that it prioritisesthe rights of the consumers,
carers and the families and gives importance to informed decision-making regarding the
process of service options, selection of benefits and anticipated risks (CoA, 2009). The policy
also addresses social exclusion, differential care plan for different age groups along with
service equity. Thus the policy casts an over-arching vision for a stable mental health system
that assists recovery while preventing early mental illness and comprehensive treatment for
all the Australians (CoA, 2009). Fourth National Mental Health Plan shares relationships with
each and every aspect of the National Mental Health Strategy and thereby making it more
significant (details given in appendix). It also gives the mental health plan a whole
government approach thus linking every aspect of mental health with the government
framework (CoA, 2009).
Professional or personal interest
Interest in this policy is derived from the fact that the policy targets a proportion of the
population who are suffering from mental illness. The plan also covers interest of the carers
or the family members of the persons who are suffering from mental illness. According to the
reports published by the Government of Australia, Department of Health, mental illness
impacts on a person’s life at different levels of severity and increases the risk of those
affected, experiencing a range of adverse health, economic and social outcomes. Another aim
of the fourth policy plan is to address the system weakness through consultation and process
and this has generated personal interest in me for selecting this policy as it assures a complete
revamp of the existing mental health policy (CoA, 2009).
How, when and why policy came into existence
The Fourth National Mental Health Plan came into existence in December 2008. The
policy was designed to provide an overarching vision and intent for a comprehensive mental
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