Public hospitals collect, generate, and use a wide range of patient data—from personal details such as names and addresses, to clinical information such as diagnostic notes and test results.

Public hospitals increasingly use information and communications technology (ICT) to deliver healthcare, and to capture and store patient information. Digital records give clinicians easy access to their patients' information at the point of care and allow clinicians to quickly share information and results, with the aim of avoiding duplication and medical errors.

Independent assurance report to Parliament

Ordered to be published

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER March 2019

PP No 19, Session 2018–19

We have consulted with DHHS, Bendigo Health, Melbourne Health, Monash Health, Latrobe Regional Hospital, Peninsula Health and South West Healthcare and we considered their views when reaching our audit conclusions. As required by section 16(3) of the Audit Act 1994, we gave a draft copy of this report to those agencies and asked for their submissions or comments. We also provided a copy of the report to the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

Responsibility for the accuracy, fairness and balance of those comments rests solely with the agency head.

Demand for mental health services in Victoria is increasing, not just in relation to the number of people who need services, but also in the severity of illness. The drivers of the increased demand include population growth, legal and illegal drug use, and heightened community awareness of mental health issues. The number of people experiencing mental illness in Australia has increased significantly in the last 10 years, as Figure 3A shows, and Victoria is consistent with this trend.

DHHS published the 10-year plan in November 2015 in response to government election commitments. Service accessibility is one of the primary considerations within the 10-year plan. Accessible mental health services mean they are available in the right place, at the right time and delivered by the right people with the right skills.

1.1 Overview of Victoria's mental health services system

Nearly half (45 per cent) of Victorians will experience mental illness in their lifetime. Annually, one in five Victorians, or 1.2 million, suffer from a mental illness¹. Of these 1.2 million people, based on 2017 population figures:

One objective of the Health Services Act 1988 is to 'ensure that an adequate range of essential health services is available to all persons resident in Victoria, irrespective of where they live or whatever their social or economic status'. Mental health care is one such service.

Mental illness affects not only an individual's wellbeing and quality of life, but also their physical health and engagement in employment, education and community; with flow-on effects to the human services, general health and justice systems.

Ordered to be published

VICTORIAN GOVERNMENT PRINTER September 2018

PP No 442, Session 2014–18