Project 1 You are responsible for managing compliance with legal and ethical work practices within the community services organisation for which you work. Your manager has asked you to prepare a...

Discussion questions
The community service organisation selected for discussion purpose is Sane Australia established for the purpose of raising awareness on mental health and forming support group for assisting people suffering from mental illness. The mental health services are provided through collaborating with mental health groups across the country and receiving donations from government agencies (Sane Australia, 2017).
1) Key legal obligations apply to the organisation and staff members
· There are
oad areas of legislations and regulatory frameworks applicable to the organisation and staff members of Sane Australia.
· It is necessary to understand relevant legislations for employer and staff members to remain legally compliant, and, at the same time, imparting confidence among users that organisation strive towards ‘doing the right thing’ through acting in the best possible interest of both entities.
· The major legal obligations applicable to the organisation and staff members of Sane Australia includes Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), Privacy Act 1988, Fair Work Act 2009 and other legislations covering occupational health and safety aspects (Sane Australia: Legal rights & responsibilities, 2017).
2) Key ethical obligations apply to the organisation and staff members
· At Sane Australia, matter of mental illness is handled as a private matter like any other health issue.
· It is accepted by the staff members that people affected by the mental illness should not be treated in a partial manner and deprived of rights and responsibilities.
· Like other people, they are having same rights and responsibilities, such as expressing opinions, indulging in social activities, etc.
· It is necessary on the part of staff members to act mindfully, providing necessary education and training, assisting people in responding to mental illness, giving them due level respect, treating them with dignity, keeping health related information confidentiality and privately, etc (Sane Australia: Annual Highlights 2016-2017).
3) Specific job roles related to compliance
· Sane Australia has created specific job role regarding ethical and legal compliances. As organisation operates in mental illness sector, there are wide ranges legal and ethical norms required to comply and adhere adequately. With regard to this,
· Specific job roles are advisory role, supporting partners, pharmaceutical mentors, and patrons. All these job roles are aimed at assisting and helping Australians living a better life free from mental illness.
· The organisation has to deal with several compliance issues, such as, storing and recording information confidently and privately, handling people without discrimination, and maintaining integrity and dignity in the process of rendering mental illness services.
· For fulfilling these compliances, different job roles in the form of advisory, supporting partners, etc are created and formed. All these roles are directly or indirectly aimed at fostering enriching environment to people and assisting them in recovering mental health (Sane Australia, 2017).
4) When and why might legal advice be needed?
· Legal advice is required at several points in the context of Sane Australia. It is worth mentioning that mental health services is not an easy regime as it requires due addresses of different set norms and regulations.
· Evidently, legal advice is required for handling patient’s medical or health related information as how it should be collected, stored and interpreted.
· Secondly, legal advice is required for forming mental illness program for ensuring that it does not create any negative impact on patient’s health (Almgren, 2012).
· Likewise, donations and grants received from government and other non-governmental agencies also required legal advice as how funds should be procured and allocated? Sometimes, grievance or disputes also arise in the process of service delivery and expected benefits on patient’s health.
· The staff members face difficulty in aligning their opinions with respect to service delivery, and satisfying patients’ and their dependents which give rise to disputes or conflicting situation, demanding legal advice for handling it (Bonewit-West, 2015).
5) Should the organisation have policies, protocols and/or procedures in place governing ethical issues? If so, what sort of issues should be addressed?
· Yes, Sane Australia adequately establishes and follows policies, protocols, and procedures for governing ethical issues.
· Policies include Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA), Privacy Act 1988, Fair Work Act 2009.
· The policies provides a comprehensive set framework for complying with ethical issues arising with respect to information handling, patient caring, delivery of mental health services, managing staff members, aligning their efforts, optimum utilisation of funds, grants and donations, etc (Connolly, 2011). All these issues are addressed in accordance to the defined policies and procedures.
· Sane Australia operates in social policy and service sector fledged with different nature ethical issues and concerns. It is not operating for profit or revenue earning; the main motive is to render health service for improving overall well-being and health status of people of the...