THE mental health professionals at Peninsula Health were recognised for their efforts at the 2025 Victorian Public Healthcare Awards.
Peninsula Health was named the winner in the “Excellence in Mental Health and Wellbeing” category. The health provider’s elimination of seclusion and mechanical restraints in its inpatient services was a key reason behind its award win.
Peninsula Health’s clinical director of mental health and wellbeing, Adjunct A/Prof Kerryn Rubin, said Peninsula Health is the only health provider in the state which has completely eliminated the use of seclusion. “While it was once seen as a way to keep people safe, seclusion is actually deeply traumatic for the person involved, for staff, and for anyone who witnesses it. It also carries a high risk of injury,” Rubin said.
“When someone is extremely frightened or aggressive, it’s usually because they are very unwell and experiencing thoughts that aren’t based in reality. They may believe others are trying to harm them, and like many people who feels threatened, their fight or flight instincts may get activated.
“The Royal Commission into Victoria’s mental health system in 2020 recommended the elimination of seclusion and other restrictive measures within 10 years, but we’re the only service in the state that has been able to achieve that. People have the right to make decisions about their care, even when they’re unwell. They still retain their rights, including the right to bodily autonomy.”
Frankston Hospital has not recorded a seclusion in the last three years, Peninsula Health says. Rubin said the change has also improved staff safety, with incidents of occupational violence dropping from 102 in 2019/2020 to 14 in the last financial year.
First published in the Frankston Times – 9 December 2025