Mental health should be measured, says Beyond Blue

Beyond Blue is urging mental health and mental wellbeing to feature strongly in the federal government’s new framework of understanding how people’s lives are tracking in Australia.

The federal government is developing a Measuring What Matters Statement and Australian Wellbeing Framework to discuss how Australia might measure its success as a nation in ways that go beyond traditional economic indicators such as productivity and growth.

The statement will be Australia’s first national framework on wellbeing and will evolve over time.

Earlier this month, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the wellbeing markers would sit alongside, not replace, the familiar economic indicators.

“It’s clear there’s a real appetite to look at new ways that we can measure progress in our economy and measure the wellbeing of our communities and our society,” Dr Chalmers said.

In its submission to the second consultation process for Measuring What Matters, which is now open, Beyond Blue stated mental health was central to overall wellbeing and national prosperity.

Beyond Blue recommended mental health and mental wellbeing indicators are included in the national framework to better measure overall wellbeing, due to the significant impact our mental health has on the way we live.

The organisation’s chief executive officer Georgie Harman said the framework was a chance to consider how social conditions influence our mental health and wellbeing.

“The framework must include ways to measure and better understand how employment, housing, racism, discrimination, and social inequality impact people’s mental health and wellbeing in Australia.

“And it must be based on thorough consultation with communities, especially those experiencing mental health conditions and suicidal thoughts, and people impacted by homelessness, unemployment, racism, and poverty,

“Good wellbeing frameworks explore questions not usually asked by governments.

“Our submission argues that the measurement of wellbeing cannot simply be a ‘spray on’ collection of data on existing activity but should be a carefully considered strategy that measures the foundations of wellbeing – such as financial distress, social isolation, and discrimination.

Beyond Blue also recommends the federal government commits to meaningful long-term change by embedding the framework into future decision-making processes, as has happened in New Zealand and France.

“The framework has the potential to lead to more informed and transparent policy-making that drives positive, healthy intergenerational change,” Ms Harman said.

“Done right, the government’s framework will help guide efforts to prevent mental health issues, reduce their impacts and ensure evidence-informed decisions help target funding towards actions that improve health equity.”

According to the consultation on Measuring What Matters so far, the top five themes are prosperity, inclusion, sustainability, cohesion and health.Within these five, children, inequality and poverty, health, mental health, Indigenous people and environment and climate change were the top policy areas.

Housing affordability, intergenerational wellbeing, community wellbeing, arts and culture, digital inclusion and volunteering were also frequently mentioned.

To contact the Beyond Blue Support Service, phone 1300 22 4636 or head to beyondblue.org.au/getsupport

For more information on Measuring What Matters or to make a submission before May 26, head to treasury.gov.au/consultation/measuring-what-matters-2023