Authorised mental health practitioners allowance

Saturday 01 Nov 2014

The recent arbitrated outcome for Mental Health Registered Nurses included an allowance of $2, 800 each year to provide an Authorised Mental Health Practitioner (AMHP) service.

Like psychiatrists, AMHPs make mental state assessments which determine whether a person may be held as an involuntary patient. It is a serious and complex role which until recently has not been rewarded financially. That has now changed for RNs.

Now when a nurse is appointed as an Authorised Mental Health Practitioner s/he will receive an allowance of just over $50 per week. 

However, an Allied Health Professional will not receive an allowance for performing exactly the same role. This is not fair.

The new Mental Health Act will include expanded roles for AMHPs, particularly in community settings, which means an increased need for more health professionals for these important roles. It is likely that if the allowance issue is not resolved equitably, Allied Health Professionals will have little incentive to continue to provide a service for free when the nurses they work alongside are paid for the same work.

The union is working with affected members on this issue; if you are affected please contact us at union@hsuwa.com.au.