Page 6100 - Week 14 - Thursday, 8 December 2011

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video


(4) What is the remuneration per annum for each of the Official Visitors for Mental Health.

(5) What additional resources, such as a laptop or mobile phone, does the Government provide to the Official Visitors that is above and beyond the remuneration, to assist them in fulfilling their responsibilities and what is the financial cost to the ACT Government for those additional resources for each of the Official Visitors.

(6) Are there any other quantifiable financial costs the ACT Government covers to assist the Official Visitor in fulfilling their responsibilities; if so, what are they and what are the financial costs for each of the Official Visitors.

(7) What administrative assistance, such as information technology, secretariat or training, does the ACT Government provide to the Official Visitors.

Ms Gallagher: I am advised that the answer to the member’s question is as follows:

(1) There are five (5) statutory appointed Mental Health Official Visitors (OVs).

(2) In 2011-2012 the ACT Government Health Directorate provided a budget of $74,000 for the Mental Health Official Visitors Scheme.

(3) Each OV works between eight and ten hours per month depending on the mental health facility “visiting roster”. In addition there is an on call roster where one of OVs is rostered to be on call (carry the mobile phone and respond to “out of normal visiting hours” contacts) for one month at a time.

(4) OVs are remunerated according to the number of hours they work at an hourly rate of $70. The OV rostered on call is remunerated an additional $140 per month plus the hourly rate for any time spent addressing the “out of normal visiting hours” contacts.

(5) The OVs are provided with a dedicated office/meeting room with a designated (published contact number) land line phone with voice mail capacity. The office supports a (restricted access) networked desk top computer with internet access, and associated computer hardware including a printer and fax machine. The OVs are provided with a mobile phone also with a published contact number. The office phone is diverted to the mobile phone when the OV’s office is unoccupied and is carried by the on call OV, ensuring out of hours access to the OVs for mental health consumers.

The cost of providing the OV’s office and the associated IT and communications resources is approximately $15,000 per annum and is resourced from the annual budget allocation.

(6) The OVs can claim a motor vehicle allowance (as per the ACT Government motor vehicle allowance rates) up to $60 per month and a parking allowance up to $20 per month for activities associated with executing the office of Mental Health Official Visitors including the facility visits. The annual budget also provides remuneration for the OV’s attendance at the National Mental Health Official Visitor Training Conference. The OVs are remunerated for their attendance (at a rate of $350 per day), as well as having their training/course/conferences fees, accommodation and travel costs, etc provided. The financial cost of the OVs training in 2010-2011 was approximately $3,000, for each OV.


Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video