New partnership to drive improved mental health and wellbeing support for adult and older adult Victorians

The University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital will lead a collaboration of service providers and institutions focussing on adult and older Australians as part of the State Government’s Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing.

ClocktowerNew partnership to drive improved mental health

The partnership will bring together a network of metropolitan and regional health services and research institutions in response to recommendations made by the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.

There will be a strong focus on improving people’s experience of the mental health system by providing best practice treatment and support, as well as listening to the voices of lived experience, their loved ones and people who work in the sector.

University of Melbourne Vice-Chancellor Professor Duncan Maskell welcomed the announcement from Victorian Minister for Mental Health, Gabrielle Williams MP.

“The establishment of this new collaboration brings together a range of multi-disciplinary experts to drive improvements in mental health and wellbeing services underpinned by innovative research,” he said.

“Partners will work together in a knowledge-sharing capacity with broad geographical coverage across Victoria.”

Royal Melbourne Hospital Acting Chief Executive Jackie McLeod said the Collaborative Centre builds on the hospital’s existing strengths in mental health service delivery.

“We recognise the value lived experience has in improving our service through our strong consumer work and peer support services,” she said.

“The Collaborative Centre will build on our commitment to improving our practice through innovative programs and translational research initiatives, including lived experience-led programs, together with our partners.”

Professor Jane Gunn AO, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Sciences said the initiative builds on the deep and enduring partnership between the University of Melbourne and the Royal Melbourne Hospital as well as extensive networks throughout the state.

“Collaboration with a wide range of partners increases our ability to test new ideas, address gaps in evidence and translate research into effective models of care,” she said.

“Collectively we share a vision to place lived experience expertise and leadership at the centre of our work to improve people’s experience of the mental health and wellbeing system.”

Members of the collaboration include:

  • Barwon Health
  • Deakin University
  • Northern Health
  • The Bouverie Centre, La Trobe University
  • Western Health
  • Victoria University
  • Forensicare (in partnership with the Centre for Behavioural Science, Swinburne University)
  • Swinburne University
  • St Vincent’s Hospital Melbourne
  • Australian Catholic University
  • Grampians Health Service
  • RMIT University
  • Goulburn Valley Health
  • The ALIVE National Centre for Mental health Research Translation
  • cohealth
  • Mind Australia
  • Uniting Vic.Tas
  • Dardi Munwurro

Over the next six months, the University of Melbourne and Royal Melbourne Hospital, as part of the Collaborative Centre, will identify and begin work on early priorities for research and service delivery opportunities.