Policy and Its Importance
Policy is considered to be a high level statement related to the goals and objectives and the beliefs of an enterprise with the general meaning for attainment of specific area of subject. Policies are importance since it provides consistency and guidance as well as account ability and clarity on the procedure of the operation of an organisation. Establishment of policies as well as procedures ensure that the procedure of organisation does not get deteriorated and deviated over the time. Consistent range of policies help new members to understand the daily operation of organisation. However outdated policies can contribute to significant risk and henceforth reviewing the policies at regular intervals is essential for incorporating changes as per the situational requirement after some years.
One of emerging area of health concern in Australian context is the topic of mental health. According to the Australian institute of Health and welfare, mental illness in the country is common. 20% of the Australian population within the age range of 16 to 85 years has reported to experience mental health challenge every year with connecting health issues like anxiety and depression as well as substance use disorders (Mental health – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 2022). Currently numerous non-government all organisations as well as private organisations are in action for assisting and supporting mental health challenges for the people of Australia. National disability insurance scheme is one of the significant organisations in the nation who is currently in action under the topic of mental Health. Founded in the year 2013 and funded jointly as well as governed by national and other territorial and federal government, the national disability insurance scheme focuses on the context of mental health as well as the allied health issues impacting the population of Australia (Wiesel et al. 2017). The context of mental Health has been reported to be included of numerous differences and inequalities specifically regarding the access towards proper health care service and acknowledgement of the mental health of population. The study focuses on the change proposal that is required for National disability insurance scheme 3.2.1 for ensuring that each and every individual appearing for employment in Australia have access to proper mental healthcare facilities and is not neglected in the arena of mental health wellbeing.
The overall area of mental Health is a critical setting which does not have proper area of room and mistakes. Current policy which is in requirement of change and amendment is the national disability insurance scheme policy 3.2.1 (Dss.gov.au. 2016).
The responsible body for placement regarding the policy is governed by Australia and participating states and territory government as well as NDIS. This specific policy focuses on the screening of workers under the preventive measures in the quality and safeguarding framework of NDIS (Dss.gov.au. 2016). The context of the policy revolves around screening as one of the significant standard tools that has been used for the recruitment procedure in Australia for informing whether and individual can pose and acceptable wrist to the people within the existence service. It is the primary responsibility for NDIS to ensure that recruiting and monitoring employees rest within the government and employers since they should be supporting an assisting as well as delivery services for full feeling their responsibility of employee wellbeing. However, this specific policy does not guarantee or prevent neglect and abuse within the recruitment process and within the workplace (Bhui 2016). Also, the screening procedure does not include detection of previous history related to abuse on neglect for racial minorities, gender discrimination and challenges like bullying at workplace. These factors cause diverse challenges since lack of screening of these factors causes the threat of workplace instability and risk of recruiting individuals without proper moral values and knowledge in the field of mental Health. Although, it is quite possible for the organisation to construct mental health awareness program and camping within the workplace that can help all the employees to develop their capabilities as per their requirement and improve their moral values and encourage diversity, however the risk related to workless challenges and team conflict still persist (Stratton et al. 2020). This is because it develops inequality in the collaboration and the engagement of the employees as well as the approaches of the employees to the others that can contribute to significant mental health challenges like depression and lack of self confidence and low productivity and motivation. Another significant challenge that the screening tool does not include is the bullying perpetrators at workplace.
Mental Health In Australia
According to the policy, screening majorly focuses on the probable risk factors of the previous history related to violence and abuse as well as neglect against others which has been legally documented specifically against children or aged or people with disability. No documentation regarding workplace harassment or bullying as well as other charges is considered if it is not documented in legal context (Rhead et al. 2021). Screening tool is not inclusive of provisions related to previous workplace visit and collection of information on the character and behaviour of an individual in case of experienced employees from previous working institutions. Recruitment of a negative minded employee having no moral value and lack of proper skills in conflict resolution contributes to difficult working environment that creates inequality in the services provided by the organisation. According to the research studies recruiting a negative minded employee also creates inequality at the mental health sector since the role of support workers in the organisation is majorly inclusive of skilled and good attitude with values of empathy and respect towards one another apart from the service availer (Strauss et al. 2020). Unqualified and rude difficult employees in organisation contributes and showcase more negative attitude in mental health setting which creates negative impact over the patience who avail services related to mental health. Medication errors followed by further mental health deterioration like depression and anxiety and lack of self confidence might occur from employee who have tendency to bully others and discriminate the patient in regards of gender and racial factors.
This change proposal is henceforth consisted of changing the national disability insurance scheme policy 3.2.1 to an improved and new policy that will be of major benefit for the service providers who might experience inequality while initiating to get treatment in regards to their mental health facilities (Mavromaras et al. 2018). The proposal will be majorly consisting of new policy amendments including the factors that, consideration of minimum skills and qualification records will be checked, background information will be evaluated from previous organisations and the projects as well as previous work experience in case of experienced employees, background verification of the character and attitude of the employees will also be checked during the screening process from the patients or the consumers who availed the services of the specific person previously. This entire proposal differs from the current National disability insurance scheme policy since the current policy does not specifically emphasize over the significance of validating proper skills and qualification as well as does not include any provision of background check related to the character and attitude of the employees before recruiting them in the workplace.
These new changes as per the proposal in the policy will help in changing the workplace environment for a better and quality support for the consumers who are mental health patient. This will facilitate the quality of services provided to the mental health care since the consumers can receive the best possible care from the positive employees having great values and empathy and also showcase respect. The overall concerned for this proposal of policy is specifically due to the reports regarding number of bullies experienced by consumers in the context of gender and race while they have initiated to avail mental Health services in the healthcare sector of Australia (Stewart et al. 2020). Reports regarding lack of proper skills and negative reputation as well as lack of proper qualification has been highlighted in numerous healthcare sector at the Australian setting due to the absence of these factors in the screening process under the current policy.
National Disability Insurance Scheme and Mental Health
The health sector of Australia is expected to have continuous growth over the upcoming 5 years contributing to increase in the demand for qualified and skilled stuffs. Understanding the increasing health disparity in the field of mental health services, followed by proper awareness program in the mental health sector, numerous people are currently opting for mental health services after the identification of the risk factors and symptoms that might be triggering them in the context of depression or anxiety or insomnia (Rosenberg et al. 2019). Lack of proper and positive as well as professional employees in the workplace of Australia can contribute to disruption of the overall status of mental Health in the nation. Although, report studies review that increase in the demand for stuff has cause numerous workplaces to be desperate and higher under qualified and unskilled stuff without proper background verification specification due to shortage of workforce in the health care field, the consequences are high. It is often quite difficult for addressing the issues related to mental health due to the complex varieties and the numerous skills required followed by extensive qualification and education that is needed to address unique mental health needs of individuals (Purcal et al. 2021). However, consequences of recruiting under qualified and un professional and negative employees in the workplace can be live straightening for patient who are suffering from chronic mental health disease and is in dire need of support and positivity. It is henceforth important for revaluation and change in the proposal that should be considered for the policy 3.2.1 screening of worker since the consumers initiating to avail mental health services in Australia deserves nothing but the best care as possible for a healthy life.
The overall change proposal for the policy of national disability insurance scheme does not consist numerous challenges. One of the challenge and weakness that might exist is the lack of proper staff with positive moral values and ethics in the workplace since they required to be revaluated and the background information regarding their character needs to be evaluated before the employment procedure during the recruitment stage (Grant and Heyes 2018). Shortage of helpful and positive employees can also result in unnecessary institutionalization of the consumers who are mental health client. However, the situation can be managed by proper availability of community services and inclusion of community nurses who have high models and believes with the approach of following the code of practice and conduct as per Australian healthcare system norms and legislations.
One of the small policy issues that this amendment my generate is the additional cost of training and education in the on-job training before the conformation of employment within organisation at the healthcare organisations and institutions of Australia (Wiesel et al. 2017). Numerous employees might not be interested in the on-job training facility due to the lack of confirmation of the employment and the lack of full remuneration part.
This issue can be resolved by recruiting experienced nursing professionals and healthcare employees from renowned institutions having positive feedback from the patience who have already availed their services (Mackay et al. 2019). Also including mandatory following of ethics and values and believes within the course curriculum for psychology and mental health studies can ensure that each and every individual in the field have high morals and values like autonomy, empathy, positivity and respect towards one another and also for the patient. Adopting training facilities and observe training approach before employment confirmation for evaluating the characteristics and the overall behaviour of employees can also be a very good process that will allow organisation for understanding if the employee is suitable for providing quality health care service to the patience who come for mental health support (Rosenberg 2017). Employees who have limited skills and qualification but with a positive approach and interest of gaining knowledge and experience can be considered by the organisation and these employees can be prepared by extensive training and facilities within the workplace that will not only help the employees to gain knowledge and experience in the similar time but will also help the organisation to be assure about the organisation culture and the quality of services for consumer retention (Dowse et al. 2016). Overall support for the policy change will come from the organisation of national disability insurance scheme as well as participating state and the territory government. It is however likely that this for proposal will be supported by all the stakeholders for eliminating any sort of inequality in the staff and for improving the quality of services provided to the consumers in the context of mental health setting in Australia. This policy proposal is expected to have a positive difference and influence in the field of mental Health at Australia since all the consumers can receive support from a positive and professional staff member with no risk of discrimination and bully in the context of gender and racism (Bhui 2016). The aboriginal and Torres strait islander people who are at the major risk of mental Health challenge can also avail facilities of mental health care without any hesitation and risk of prejudice.
References
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2022. Mental health – Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. [online] Available at: <https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/australias-health/mental-health> [Accessed 30 April 2022].
Bhui, K., 2016. Discrimination, poor mental health, and mental illness. International Review of Psychiatry, 28(4), pp.411-414.
Dowse, L., Wiese, M., Dew, A., Smith, L., Collings, S. and Didi, A., 2016. More, better, or different? NDIS workforce planning for people with intellectual disability and complex support needs. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 41(1), pp.81-84.
Dss.gov.au. 2016. NDIS QUALITY AND SAFEGUARDING FRAMEWORK. [online] Available at: <https://www.dss.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/04_2017/ndis_quality_and_safeguarding_framework_final.pdf> [Accessed 30 April 2022].
Grant, E. and Heyes, S., 2018. Housing and infrastructure for Aboriginal Peoples living with mental illness and/or psychosocial disability: Submission to the Parliament of South Australia’s Social Development Committee Inquiry into the provision of services for people with mental illness under the transition to the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
Mackay, T., Loughhead, M. and Goodwin-Smith, I., 2019. UnitingSA NDIS Peer Support Program.
Mavromaras, K., Moskos, M., Mahuteau, S., Isherwood, L., Goode, A., Walton, H., Smith, L., Wei, Z. and Flavel, J., 2018. Evaluation of the NDIS.
Purcal, C., O’Shea, P., Fisher, K.R., Weise, J., Zmudzki, F., Srasuebkul, P., Walker, A. and Trollor, J., 2021. Evaluation of the Intellectual Disability Mental Health (IDMH) National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) Residual Functions Program Evaluation report.
Rhead, R.D., Chui, Z., Bakolis, I., Gazard, B., Harwood, H., MacCrimmon, S., Woodhead, C. and Hatch, S.L., 2021. Impact of workplace discrimination and harassment among National Health Service staff working in London trusts: results from the TIDES study. BJPsych open, 7(1).
Rosenberg, S., 2017. Shangri-La and the integration of mental health care in Australia. Public Health Res Pract, 27(3), p.e273723.
Rosenberg, S., Redmond, C., Boyer, P., Gleeson, P. and Russell, P., 2019. Culture clash? Recovery in mental health under Australia’s National Disability Insurance Scheme-a case study.
Stewart, V., Visser, K. and Slattery, M., 2020. Supporting choice, recovery, and participation: Clear and easy to understand information is the key to NDIS access for those with psychosocial disability. Journal of Social Inclusion, 11(2), pp.33-46.
Stratton, E., Player, M.J., Dahlheimer, A., Choi, I. and Glozier, N., 2020. Prevalence and association of discrimination and bullying and the impact on mental health in an occupational setting. International Journal of Workplace Health Management.
Strauss, P., Cook, A., Winter, S., Watson, V., Toussaint, D.W. and Lin, A., 2020. Associations between negative life experiences and the mental health of trans and gender diverse young people in Australia: findings from Trans Pathways. Psychological medicine, 50(5), pp.808-817.
Wiesel, I., Whitzman, C., Bigby, C. and Gleeson, B., 2017. How Will the NDIS Change Australian Ciities?. Melbourne Sustainable Society Institute.
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