Authorised mental health services (AMHS), administrators, doctors and practitioners

Chief Psychiatrist policy

This page includes information about the following Chief Psychiatrist policy.

This policy is mandatory for all authorised mental health services (AMHSs). An authorised doctor, authorised mental health practitioner (AMHP), AMHS administrator, or other person performing a function or exercising a power under the Mental Health Act 2016 must comply with this policy.

You can also find additional fact sheets, forms and resources that are available for this policy under the relevant subtopics on this page.

Introduction

Authorised mental health services (AMHSs) are health services authorised under the Mental Health Act 2016 to provide involuntary examination, assessment and treatment to persons with mental illness.

AMHSs include both public and private sector health services.

While an AMHS can provide services to both voluntary and involuntary patients, an AMHS is the only place where a person can be detained for involuntary treatment for mental illness.

An AMHS, AMHS administrator, authorised doctor and AMHP is a statutory appointment under the Mental Health Act 2016.

Role of the Chief Psychiatrist

Declaration as an AMHS occurs when the Chief Psychiatrist, by gazette notice, declares a health service, or part of a health service, providing treatment and care to persons who have a mental illness to be an AMHS.

The Chief Psychiatrist may declare an AMHS with conditions, enabling services to provide limited treatment and care services under the Mental Health Act 2016. For example, a number of private hospitals have limited declarations to provide electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).

Rural and remote mental health services

The Mental Health Act 2016 enables the Chief Psychiatrist to declare a rural or remote AMHS with conditions.

This can be used to facilitate the provision of treatment and care to persons in rural and remote areas, by allowing a more limited range of services to be provided at a small rural hospital.

Read the Rural and remote services fact sheet (PDF 419 kB) to learn more.

Administrators of AMHSs

Under the Mental Health Act 2016, the Chief Psychiatrist may appoint a person to be an AMHS administrator.

This position plays a critical role in ensuring the operation of the Mental Health Act 2016 at the service delivery level.

AMHS administrator functions include the following:

• to the extent practicable, ensuring the operation of the AMHS complies with the Mental Health Act 2016
• taking reasonable steps to ensure patients of the AMHS receive appropriate treatment and care
• notifying patients, the Chief Psychiatrist, the Mental Health Review Tribunal and others of decisions and other matters as required under the Mental Health Act 2016
• appointing authorised doctors and AMHPs
• performing other functions under the Mental Health Act 2016 such as approving the transfer of involuntary patients and arranging for the transport of persons required to return to a service.

Delegating functions

AMHS administrators may delegate functions and powers under the Mental Health Act 2016 to an appropriately qualified health service employee of the service.

AMHS administrators can use the following templates when delegating functions of the Mental Health Act 2016 to employees.

Authorised doctors and authorised mental health practitioners

AMHS administrators are responsible for appointing authorised doctors and AMHPs. Authorised doctors and AMHPs can exercise significant powers and functions under the Mental Health Act 2016 which impact on the rights of individuals.

Accountable appointment processes and the establishment of minimum knowledge and skill requirements are fundamental to the proper and effective administration of the Mental Health Act 2016, the protection of individual rights, and patient, carer and community confidence in the system of care.

Read the Appointment of authorised doctors and authorised mental health practitioners policy to learn more.

AMHS administrators must use the following attachments to the policy.

Appointment templates and forms

Use the following forms to appoint authorised doctors or AMHPs.

Training requirements

AMHS administrators must make sure employees who are appointed complete mandatory training requirements. The following attachment outlines the training requirements.

Access the elearning courses for Mental Health Act 2016

List of AMHSs and administrators

The Authorised mental health services and AMHS administrators schedule (PDF 232 kB) sets out the list of all AMHSs that have been declared by the Chief Psychiatrist. It includes:

• details of inpatient and community services and facilities
• services that are authorised to provide ECT or non-ablative neurosurgery
• the appointed AMHS administrator
• the relevant Hospital and Health Service catchment for public AMHSs.