The Department of Industry, Innovation and Science is conducting a review of the management of mental health in the Australian Public Service (APS).
Aimed at uncovering the reasons managers in the APS have difficulty recruiting and managing people with a mental health condition, the Department has launched a survey open to all levels of staff across the APS and plans a series of workshops early in the new year.
According to the manager of the APS Mental Health Review Taskforce, Emma Purdy, the capability of managing mental health is a hot topic in the APS with research showing it to be the third biggest health issue in Australia, after heart disease and cancer.
“There is so much more we can be doing in the APS to support mental health in the workplace,” Ms Purdy said.
“Using the latest research, best practice examples and real case studies, the review hopes to uncover some of the major barriers impacting the management of mental health in the APS.”
She said the review was particularly interested in improving managers’ confidence and capability when employing and managing team members with mental health conditions.
Project Lead of the Taskforce, Sanja Zeman said: “The more employees we hear from, the greater chance there is to make a positive impact in improving mental health and wellbeing and changing the culture of the APS.”
Ms Zeman invited employees from across the APS to contribute to the review by participating in the survey which will be open until 15 February 2019. The 10-minute survey can be accessed at this PS News link.
She also invited employees to nominate to represent their Agency in the workshops to be held in Canberra during February and March next year.
More information on the review can be accessed, and nominations made for the workshops (with your contact details and Agency), by emailing [email protected]
Subscriptions to the review’s mailing list for monthly updates on the project can be made to the same email address.
