Despite significant recent public investment in mental health, do we really know what Australia is getting for its money?
In response to repeated inquiries revealing a profound crisis in the provision of mental health care services,1 Australia has committed to spending around $8 billion of new money on mental health since 2006. Few would argue that this investment was long overdue, given the significant gap between the funding mental health receives ($5.8 billion2 out of $113 billion of total health expenditure in the 2008–09 financial year3) and the contribution of mental illness to the burden of disease (13%).4
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- 10. Pirkis JE, Harris MG. Were the budgetary reforms to the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative appropriate? — Yes. Med J Aust 2011; 194: 594. <MJA full text>
- 11. Rosenberg S, Hickie IB. Were the budgetary reforms to the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative appropriate? — No. Med J Aust 2011; 194: 595. <MJA full text>
- 12. National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission. A healthier future for all Australians: final report June 2009. Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia, 2009. http://www.yourhealth.gov.au/internet/yourhealth/publishing.nsf/Content/nhhrc-report-toc (accessed Jan 2012).
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