3.5 Priority area 4: Quality improvement and innovation

Progress of actions under this priority area

The Fourth National Mental Health Plan lists eight actions that relate to quality improvement and innovation. Progress has been made on seven of these (see Appendix 3). The efforts invested in progressing Action Area 9 provide an example. Action Area 9 involves the development of a national mental health research strategy to drive collaboration and inform the research agenda. The National Health and Medical Research Council held two workshops on 'developing a more evidence-based mental health system' which informed the 2011-12 Federal Budget allocation of $26.2 million over five years across three areas:

1. a targeted call for research focusing on prevention and early intervention in mental illness in children and young people
2. three mental health centres of research excellence focusing on suicide prevention, substance abuse and better mental health planning and
3. the new John Cade Fellowship in Mental Health Research.

Indicator 21: Proportion of total mental health workforce accounted for by consumer and carer workers

Indicator 22: Proportion of services reaching threshold standards of accreditation under the National Mental Health Standards

Indicator 23: Mental health outcomes for people who receive treatment from state and territory services and the private hospital system