Time for reform: mental health consumer rights endorsed in Productivity Commission Inquiry

Consumers of Mental Health WA (CoMHWA), WA’s peak body for people with lived / living experience of mental health issues (consumers), welcomes the recommendations from the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health final report.

The report states, “Australia needs a mental health system that places people at its centre. In a person-centred system, people would be empowered to choose the services that are right for them across a full spectrum of clinical and non-clinical needs.”

Shauna Gaebler, CEO of CoMHWA, says this rings true for so much of the work being done for mental health consumers.

“We understand that every day, people are accessing preventative mental health services and programs that are non-clinical; they access them because they work,” she says.

“Too often we see decisions made wholly and solely based on funding and data, and it is rare that decisions are made around what is going to work properly for the people who need to access the service; the consumer,

“This report supports the need for a national peak consumer body, which has been called for by the consumer movement for many years, and the recognition of the National Mental Health Consumer Alliance in the report is significant progress toward this goal,

“Now is the time for reform and now is the time to act on these recommendations by doing what is right for consumers; ‘rely on the leadership and direction of people with lived experience, including as national ambassadors for mental health’ (final report).”

In an enormous step forward, the report states “…the rights of consumers, in conjunction with the individuality of the consumer experiences, create a case for there being a peak body for consumers at a national level that is separate to the representation of carers.

While the report acknowledged there are already various state and national organisations which advocate for mental health consumers and carers, it specifically noted the importance of these voices being acknowledged and heard independently throughout decision-making.

The report states, “While consumers and carers often share similar experiences, this is not always the case. And even where they have similar experiences, consumers and carers bring different perspectives and perceptions to those experiences.”

CoMHWA and National Mental Health Consumer Alliance (independently formed) featuring membership from Victoria, NSW, and South Australia, are optimistic about the future for mental health consumers, and solidifying the much-needed national recognition of the consumer voice.

-end of release-

The Productivity Commission final report can be accessed here.

Media enquiries:

Shauna Gaebler, CEO, CoMHWA - 0422 190 689 – ceo@comhwa.org.au