Govt Accused of Throwing Mental Health Patients Under the Bus
The NSW government faces backlash for failing to retain psychiatrists, risking mental health care.
Australia, NSW, Mental Health, Psychiatrists, Healthcare
Australia: The situation in New South Wales is pretty concerning. The state is being criticized for not doing enough to keep its psychiatrists. Many have left because of stalled pay negotiations.
About 200 psychiatrists have resigned, which is nearly half of the workforce. This is a big deal, especially with the ongoing staff shortages. Health Minister Ryan Park admitted that this mass resignation will affect the entire healthcare system.
But here’s the kicker: the government won’t agree to a 25% pay increase that would mean an extra $90,000 for each psychiatrist. Mr. Park claims they just can’t afford it.
He’s asking the psychiatrists to reconsider their resignations, urging them to stay for the sake of their patients and the healthcare system. It’s a tough spot for everyone involved.
The health union is not happy either. They say the government is ignoring the real issue of staff retention. One in three psychiatrist positions is still unfilled, which is alarming.
According to Ian Lisser from the doctors’ union, the government is essentially throwing mental health patients and the psychiatry workforce under the bus. Psychiatrists don’t want to leave, but they feel they have no choice when other states offer better salaries.
They’ve been working in a system that’s falling apart, and now they feel trapped. As negotiations continue to stall, the health department is trying to prepare for the fallout from these resignations.
They’re looking into private providers and adjusting workforce models, but it’s clear that replacing 200 psychiatrists overnight is going to be a huge challenge.
Next week, the pay dispute is set to be discussed in the Industrial Relations Commission. Let’s hope they can find a solution soon.