Improving Mental Health of Tasmanians

Media release – Kathrine Morgan-Wicks, Secretary, Department of Health, 18 November 2021

Catherine Schofield, Director of Services, Statewide Mental Health Services

Plan to support our people as they work to improve the mental health of Tasmanians

Statewide Mental Health Services is immediately taking steps to improve management practices and provide better support to its workforce following the organisation’s first ‘resilience scan’.

The resilience scan was undertaken as part of the One Health Cultural Improvement Program.

Director of Services Catherine Schofield said the resilience scan allowed employees to provide feedback and information anonymously, enabling Statewide Mental Health Services to examine and improve areas to better support staff who are at the front line of delivering vital assistance to the Tasmanian community.

“We want our staff to know that we hear you and we know we need to do better. We take the concerns raised in the resilience scan very seriously. Our staff are our greatest asset and we want them to feel well supported in their work.

“As Director of Services I pledge to lead Statewide Mental Health Services into a new era. The resilience scan has reinforced our commitment to the Tasmanian Mental Health Reform Program, which aims to provide a better resourced and integrated mental health system.

“We need our passionate staff on board to implement this program and this scan has shown us clearly what needs to happen to ensure we are all working towards the same end.

“The staff of Statewide Mental Health Services are incredibly committed to their work and take great pride in looking after their patients and this has been shown in the results. But what the scan also highlights is that our people need help to ensure they are balancing their own mental health while working to help others.

“Mental health affects everyone and those who work in the sector are no different.

“We are now taking steps to engage with our people to help them achieve this balance, including introducing a trial wellbeing program as part of the One Health Cultural Improvement Program.

“We are also taking immediate steps to make our management practices more visible and proactive, to ensure both senior and frontline leaders are actively consulting with their frontline staff.

“And we are implementing a new organisational governance structure to ensure ways of working are consistent across the organisation. I, along with Medical Director Ben Elijah, will personally lead this initiative. The executive team will be responsible for modelling and communicating those ways of transparent working to our people.”

Department of Health Secretary Kathrine Morgan-Wicks expressed her great appreciation for the work of the staff of Statewide Mental Health Services and their willingness to speak openly of the ways in which the organisation can be improved.

“This resilience scan has shown us that our people are passionate and determined to make their workplaces better.

“Prioritising Mental Health and Wellbeing is one of our Department’s Strategic Priorities for 2021-23 and I am confident that the actions being taken as a result of this process will strengthen Statewide Mental Health Services and allow its committed and passionate staff to work more effectively towards achieving great outcomes for all Tasmanians.”

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