This 2022-2023 Annual Report signals the end of one era in Mental Health Governance and the beginning of a new one.

From May 2018 to May 2023 the Office of the Chief Psychiatrist (OCP) has had both statutory roles and Departmental strategy and planning functions. This model had been put in place in late 2017 to provide a single source of mental health leadership within SA Health. In December 2018, Ms Jennifer Williams and Aspex provided a report to the then Minister on governance functions. Recommendations were made for the short to medium term regarding governance including additional Deputy and Director roles, and in the long-term appointing separate office holders for the Chief Psychiatrist and Executive Director Mental Health Strategy positions.

It is up to history and others to assess the impact of these arrangements over this period, and the developments that have emerged during the last 5 years on both the statutory and planning sides of Mental Health in the Department.

The work of the OCP team during this period must be acknowledged, across all areas of the Office. The Annual Report gives a picture of actions currently underway. Compared to some interstate offices our structures are lean, and products are a result of intense effort by our team members whether it be planning, legislation reform, safety and quality, suicide prevention, Aboriginal mental health, lived experience initiatives and inspections or investigations. During this time OCP has also coordinated disaster responses for mental health for COVID, hotel quarantine, bushfires and floods. Advice about mental health planning, delivered with the former Mental Health Commissioner, formed the basis of the Mental Health Services Plan that may have been seen as innovative at the time, and has become part of routine business. Similarly, the OCP team provided technical advice on the development of the Suicide Prevention Act.

The strength of undertaking work in these areas is not to put forward the views of our unit, but to effectively combine the international and national evidence, the lived experience evidence, and the guidance from the leaders and front-line practitioners in our sector. We have aspired to do this through consultation, co-design, and research, within modern human rights and recovery frameworks.

This year my own reappointment for a further 3-year term as Chief Psychiatrist was an opportunity for the Government to put in place the long-term recommendations, which will set up governance for the future.

From 8 May 2023, Ms Liz Prowse who was formerly Director of Policy, Planning and Safety in the OCP, is now the Executive Director of Strategy and Planning for the Strategy and Governance Division within the Department. The new Unit she leads will provide both continuity with existing work and new directions in planning.

The new OCP will retain statutory functions, with our Safety and Quality, Legislation and Policy and Suicide Prevention teams. The Aboriginal Mental Health team and the Lived Experience Team are based within the Mental Health Strategy and Planning Unit but will provide expert input and support to the OCP in these areas. Our units will work collaboratively, along with the teams of Ms Taimi Allen, Mental Health Commissioner due to start in October 2023, and Ms Nicole Keller, Executive Director of Mental Health and Wellbeing in Wellbeing SA.

There are many 2022-23 highlights that are included in the report. These include: • The roll out of new projects and resources including the development of high-level models of care. (work which will continue in the Mental Health Strategy and Planning Unit) ii OFFICIAL

• The completion of the Review of Mental Health Legislation by the South Australian Law Reform Institute

• Ongoing Suicide Prevention work within services.

• Work on new standards and the ongoing implementation of existing ones.

• Development of a human rights analysis tool.

• Ongoing inspection and investigation work.

This work will continue into the coming year.

This year’s Annual Report continues the tradition of providing detailed service data, which the Report has provided since its inception in 2011. In recent years this has been expanded with more quality and safety data.

Thank you to all of our stakeholders who have supported this work and have willingly given their time and energy to make these developments possible.

John Brayley, Chief Psychiatrist