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Mental health inquiry granted extension
A royal commission into the state of Victoria’s mental health sector has been granted a three-month extension following the cancellations of public hearings and consultations.
Naomi Neilson
The Victorian government has granted a three-month extension to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (RCVMHS) to complete its final report, joining many other inquiries across the country that have had to adjust due to the outbreak.
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The coronavirus pandemic has posed challenges for those intending to provide evidence and testimonies to the commission. Chair Penny Armytage said the personal stories and reflections on the state of the sector were still invaluable to the deliberations.
“It is clear that now, more than ever, we must maintain this momentum and focus to design a mental health system that is able to respond to current and emerging pressures,” she said.
Mental Health Victoria welcomed the extension, adding that they do not believe the reform agenda will be impacted by this delay and laws should proceed as normal.
“In fact, this extra time should ensure the impacts of disasters like the bushfires are well considered, and that the many service innovations emerging from the pandemic such as telehealth are well considered in the final report,” said CEO Angus Clelland.
The royal commission has started publishing witness statements in light of the pandemic and has marked its “next important milestone” in the inquiry. Ms Armytage said that these statements are one example of how the commission is continuing to collect evidence.
“The commission greatly values the contributions of people with lived experiences and a substantial number of witness statements are dedicated to hearing about the experiences and ideas for improvement,” said Ms Armytage.
