Submitted to the Australian Government Productivity Commission (January 2020)

This submission extends our first submission to the Australian Government Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health. In this submission, we responded to the issues raised in sections of the draft report and the Productivity Commission’s draft recommendations.

We welcomed the acknowledgement of dietitians in the draft report and the focus on the link between physical and mental health. However, we believe further provisions are needed to deliver integrated physical-mental healthcare for consumers and leverage the dietetic workforce to meet consumer mental healthcare needs.

There is a need for greater recognition of the role of food and nutrition in the prevention, development, treatment and management of mental illness.

More provisions are needed to increase access to dietitians, for their role in addressing both mental and physical health.

For our recommendations, download the full submission.