Carers WA, after hearing from carers and other groups in the mental health sector, has responded to the release of draft mental health legislation with a submission and a letter to the Commissioner for Mental Health. We congratulate the Mental Health Commission for including a section on the rights of carers in the legislation. Acknowledgement of family and friends in a caring role is consistent with best practice in health care settings. We have argued that in order for carers to be able to ensure the wellbeing of their loved one, carers need to be included in decision making and discharge planning, that carers need advocacy within the mental health system, and that a family-centric approach should be built into models of psychiatric care. A copy of the submission is available for download below.
Carers WA Submission: Draft Mental Health Bill 2011
To also read the accompanying letter to Eddie Bartnik please click here.
Our thanks as always to the many family and friends of people with a mental illness who took the time to share their knowledge with us and with each other.