Questions about the mental health of employees at Mental Health Commission

19 March, 2024

It seems that an independent statutory agency responsible for monitoring, reviewing and improving mental health and wellbeing for people in NSW, can't ensure psychosocial safety in its own workplace.

In New South Wales, the Mental Health Commission is grappling with significant internal challenges highlighted by a recent employee survey, marking it as one of the least happy workplaces in the public sector. Employees have exposed a detrimental work environment characterized by bullying and micromanagement, with morale at a concerning low according to the People Matters NSW Public Sector Employee Survey results. This issue emerges amid broader concerns that statutory bodies meant to oversee mental health reforms may be too aligned with government, affecting their effectiveness.

Similar issues have been reported in other mental health commissions across Australia, pointing to a systemic problem within these organizations. Despite these challenges, the NSW Mental Health Commission, a relatively small agency with 31 staff members, received a staff wellbeing score of 46 percent, making it one of the least content workplaces within the state's health sector. Additionally, only 38 percent of its staff would recommend it as a great place to work, a significant drop from previous years.

Efforts to address these concerns have included town hall meetings and an action plan to improve workplace culture. However, these measures have been met with skepticism by staff, who question the independence and effectiveness of the responses. The situation has led to calls for change within the commission, with employees expressing a desire for a more respectful, safe, and inclusive workplace.

The NSW Mental Health Commissioner, along with the NSW government, faces pressure to turn around the commission's workplace culture and restore confidence in its role as a key driver of mental health reform.