Purpose
This framework aims to:
- provide mental health specialist services with a clear list of priority areas where the most can be achieved to improve physical health outcomes
- support mental health services to develop, implement and review policies, procedures and ways of working to help consumers make decisions to address their physical health
- enable mental health services to improve physical health care to improve outcomes
- ensure a consistent approach across the different jurisdictions in Victoria’s mental health services.
What's new in this edition
The 2025 Equally Well Framework is a renewed commitment to improving the physical health outcomes of people living with mental illness across our state.
This framework reaffirms our collective responsibility to prioritise the physical health of people living with mental illness. It upholds the principles of Equally Well, which aim to improve quality of life by ensuring equal access to quality health care for all mental health consumers.
The 2025 update reflects the evolving needs of our communities and the importance of contemporary, inclusive care. It builds on the foundational work of previous versions and responds to the voices of consumers, carers, clinicians and communities who have called for more responsive, evidence-informed approaches.
This edition introduces several new priority areas that reflect current health challenges and equity considerations. These include:
- women’s health
- cancer screening
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ health
- young people.
Each new section has been carefully developed to ensure services are equipped to respond in ways that are culturally safe, trauma-informed and recovery-oriented.