A performance audit of SA Health’s processes for accessing mental health services has found that its planning, monitoring and reporting processes was not operating effectively.
In his report Managing access to mental health services, Auditor-General Andrew Richardson found that because of its ineffectiveness SA Health was unable to demonstrate how well it was performing when it was providing members of the public with access to the right mental health services at the right time.
Mr Richardson said the practice of providing mental services to people who need them in South Australia was subject to a number of processes including assessing actions taken to address COVID-19.
“The strategic plan identifies that at some point in their lives, 45% of South Australians will experience a ‘diagnosable mental illness.” Mr Richardson said.
“A viable mental health and wellbeing service is essential to all South Australians, given that family, friends and work colleagues of those with a diagnosable mental illness are also impacted,” he said.
He said the mental health services overseen by SA Health were wide-ranging and included services to assist those who experience a mental health episode or a disorder and those who experience a mental illness.
The Auditor-General said that among the key SA Health gaps were processes including planning documents that had insufficient details on what success was; ineffective processes to capture and analyse data on mental health services; some reporting on access to mental health services not being timely; and the absence of an administrative framework outlining.
The Auditor-General’s 63-page report can be accessed on this PS News link and the audit team was Salv Bianco, Philip Rossi and Stephen Gladigau.
