Women’s Health Victoria (WHV), the Women’s Mental Health Alliance and mental health consumer peak the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council (VMIAC) have ongoing concerns about the high costs of mental health misdiagnosis to family violence survivors and the increased risk this creates to their safety.
In light of recent news reports of recommendations made by the Mental Health Complaints Commissioner (MHCC) to Mercy Public Hospital in Werribee the three groups urge immediate action be taken to prevent further risk and harms to family violence survivors already experiencing trauma.
Women’s Mental Health Alliance Chair Mischa Barr said, “We welcome the public scrutiny of hospitals where complaints are made, but much more needs to be done to build a more family violence aware, gender sensitive and trauma informed mental health system that listens to people about the cause of their distress. This should be a priority for the new Victorian Mental Health Workforce Strategy recommended by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, as well as the new National Mental Health Workforce Strategy.”
More information on the Women's Mental Health Alliance here.
Women’s Health Victoria, Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council and Women's Mental Health Alliance (2021) Urgent action needed to keep family violence survivors safe in hospitals [Media release], Women's Mental Health Alliance and Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council. Melbourne.
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