Over 180 psychiatrists resign from New South Wales' public mental health system due to chronic understaffing and pay disparity, threatening to collapse the already strained system.
Over 180 psychiatrists, more than half of the workforce in New South Wales' public mental health system, have resigned, citing years of understaffing and inadequate resources. These resignations, effective January 21st, impact psychiatric hospitals, community mental health services, and justice mental health services across the state. The mass exodus, from a system already operating with a nearly 30% vacancy rate, is predicted to cripple the public mental health system.
The root cause of the crisis is a significant pay disparity. Psychiatrists in New South Wales claim to be paid approximately 30% less than their counterparts in other states, making it challenging to attract and retain professionals. This has resulted in a surge of psychiatrists opting for private practice, interstate positions, or lucrative locum work. The Australian healthcare system, while federally funded through Medicare, sees states and territories responsible for managing public hospitals, staff, and services like community and mental health. For 16 months, the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation have been in negotiations with the state government. Psychiatrists have demanded a 25% immediate salary increase, while the government offered 10.5% over three years. This stalemate further exacerbates the situation, leaving public mental health services struggling to maintain adequate staffing levels. As a consequence, patients are forced to endure extended waits in emergency departments until psychiatric beds become available. The reliance on locum staff, who are paid significantly more, has a detrimental impact on the quality and continuity of patient care, as relationships with treating professionals are disrupted
Psychiatry Mental Health Resignations Australia Workforce Shortages Public Health Pay Disparity
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