Abstract
Objective: To describe how the current complex and discontinuous mental health systems in Australia fail to provide high quality care for patients with severe affective disorders. To outline how the development of a ‘National Coalition for People with Depression’ could result in the delineation of the essential aspects of high quality, long-term and continuous mental health care for these consumers of health services. To highlight the key role of educated and responsible consumers, and eventually the wider community, in determining the future shape of mental health service systems and clinical and health services research.
Conclusions: Although in its early stages, the process of developing a ‘National Coalition for People with Depression’ has already led to fundamental shifts in attitudes in some mental health services. By focusing on the consumers' needs for high quality and continuous services, traditional specialist service managers (in both the private and public sectors), and primary care and specialist clinicians will be forced to re-evaluate current assumptions and program developments. In Australia, there is now a considerable opportunity for co-ordinated service enhancement for those consumers with affective disorders.