keynotes
From Royal Commission reform to workforce future — building a capable, connected mental health workforce
Since the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, the system has been reshaped by substantial investment, new models of care, and a renewed focus on workforce composition, distribution and capability. In this keynote, Anna Love, Chief Mental Health Nurse, will reflect on the journey so far—what we set out to change, what has been built, and what we have learned about delivering reform at scale. Drawing on system-wide experience, Anna will highlight key programs and enablers introduced since the Royal Commission, including investment to grow the workforce, Victoria’s mental health workforce capability framework Our Workforce, Our Future and the establishment of the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing (VCC). By partnering with the sector, together, these initiatives are strengthening practice, building clinical leadership, and supporting safer, more consistent care across settings.
Looking ahead, the next phase of workforce strategy is focused on developing, sustaining and connecting the whole mental health workforce. This includes strengthening attraction and retention, growing multidisciplinary capability (including lived experience and peer roles), supporting advanced and specialist practice, continuing improve physical and psychological safety of our services, and ensuring education, supervision and career pathways keep pace with changing community need. The session will invite delegates to consider the shared work required to translate reform into an improved everyday experience for consumers, families and workforce, and to identify practical opportunities for collaboration across services, sectors, education providers and unions. Together we can build a future-ready mental health workforce in Victoria.
Since the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, the system has been reshaped by substantial investment, new models of care, and a renewed focus on workforce composition, distribution and capability. In this keynote, Anna Love, Chief Mental Health Nurse, will reflect on the journey so far—what we set out to change, what has been built, and what we have learned about delivering reform at scale. Drawing on system-wide experience, Anna will highlight key programs and enablers introduced since the Royal Commission, including investment to grow the workforce, Victoria’s mental health workforce capability framework Our Workforce, Our Future and the establishment of the Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing (VCC). By partnering with the sector, together, these initiatives are strengthening practice, building clinical leadership, and supporting safer, more consistent care across settings.
Looking ahead, the next phase of workforce strategy is focused on developing, sustaining and connecting the whole mental health workforce. This includes strengthening attraction and retention, growing multidisciplinary capability (including lived experience and peer roles), supporting advanced and specialist practice, continuing improve physical and psychological safety of our services, and ensuring education, supervision and career pathways keep pace with changing community need. The session will invite delegates to consider the shared work required to translate reform into an improved everyday experience for consumers, families and workforce, and to identify practical opportunities for collaboration across services, sectors, education providers and unions. Together we can build a future-ready mental health workforce in Victoria.
