Redesigning society for better mental health

I’ve been involved in submissions to the Mental Health Productivity Commission and the Mental Health Royal Commission in Victoria. I’ve been pleased with the findings and hope they will inform the changes that are necessary to make our society better at preventing and treating mental health conditions.

My main hope is that society can be redesigned to be less prone to creating mental issues. This can start from birth and continue until old age, using the institutions that we have in place, with some tweaks.

There are models around the world of schooling systems that take into account mental health programs and assessment at a deeper level than we have in Australia.

We can do better in our workplaces, too.

Our workplace relations system too, although good by world standards, can be improved if we can make it easier for people to move in and out of work depending on their mental health.

Furthermore, the ability to take mental health days without stigma would be a great addition to our system so that people aren’t waiting until they are broken before seeking help and or some respite.

Finally, a note on the role of general practitioners:

Dr James Antoniadis is Chair of the General Practice and Psychiatry Liaison Committee at the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners Victoria.