NSW government, Black Dog Institute launch Psychosocial Advisory Service

In a continuation of SafeWork NSW’s recent psychosocial compliance blitz and major reforms to the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, the new support service will connect employers and employees with trained specialists to help identify, respond to and prevent psychosocial hazards.

The announcement follows recent data from SafeWork NSW that revealed psychosocial support requests more than doubled over the past five years, with related incidents also on the rise.

Key features of the Psychosocial Advisory Service (PAS) include dedicated phone and online reporting pathways, improved resources to increase customer capability and knowledge on psychosocial risks, facilitated specialist referrals, and more advanced, data-driven triaging.

The service is intended to mitigate and prevent the most common workplace psychosocial risks, such as bullying, harassment, work-related stress and mental harm, with a trauma-informed approach that acts as both a support and early intervention process to also limit formal regulatory action.

Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Work Health and Safety Sophie Cotsis said: “Modern workplaces present modern risks. The Minns Labor Government is taking strong action to support the health and wellbeing of workers.”

“The Psychosocial Advisory Service will help to keep workers safe and support businesses with the tools they need to address psychosocial risks and prevent potential harms.”

According to Rose Jackson, Minister for Mental Health, “The Psychosocial Advisory Service will be an important resource for workers who may be struggling, and a great tool for employers who want to create safe workplaces."

Jackson also noted that the launch builds on the government’s landmark Suicide Prevention Act 2025, “which is about taking a whole-of-government response to mental health and suicide prevention”.

In the same vein, SafeWork commissioner Janet Schorer said: “Prevention and early intervention remain critical to meeting work health and safety obligations and SafeWork NSW encourages all employers and workers to seek advice and access the PAS before issues escalate and cause harm.”

Chief scientist and executive director for the Black Dog Institute, Samuel Harvey, said: “One of the most significant developments in work health and safety is the growing recognition that psychological harms are as damaging as physical harm.”

“The new psychosocial-focused inspectors will strengthen early detection of psychological risks at places of employment and enable timely interventions to prevent harm before it occurs.”

Business NSW chief executive Dan Hunter said the service helps address the difficulty employers face navigating psychosocial risks, especially owners and small businesses without dedicated HR.

“Giving SMEs access to clear, practical advice – and someone they can turn to when they have questions - will help businesses tackle issues early and with confidence,” Hunter said.

“The more practical support we can give SMEs to create safe, healthy workplaces, the better for everyone.”

Inspectors visited over 200 medium to large business workplaces in sectors with higher rates and severity of harm, issuing more than 80 psychosocial hazard and risk management improvement notices.

Further, the NSW government recently strengthened SafeWork NSW capability and capacity with a $127.7 million investment that will go towards additional psychosocial inspectors, with the PAS also forming part of a $344 million Workplace Mental Health package.

The PAS was officially launched yesterday, 22 September.

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