Access to mental
health services in Tasmania is worsening under the Liberal Government, with
alarming statistics from the AMA showing the extent of the crisis.
Tasmania has
seen the biggest reduction in mental health beds in public hospitals in the
entire country – a fact compounded by the Launceston General Hospital (LGH)
having the worst bed block in the country with our other hospitals not far
behind.
Shockingly
Tasmania has the longest emergency department stay time for mental health
patients.
One in ten
people who presented to the ED with a mental health condition waited more than
22 hours to be seen – an increase of more than 50% in just the last four years.
Among those
patients who were subsequently admitted, one in ten waited more than 28 and a
half hours in ED.
Tasmania also
does not have any dedicated youth mental health beds in the North and
North-West.
Mental Health
workforce shortages are also contributing to the crisis across mental health
services. Poor conditions and wages that are falling further behind inflation
continue to be major contributing factors.
The Liberals
have made big promises when it comes to better mental health services including
new beds in the South, upgrading the LGH, incorporating a mental health
precinct and a redevelopment of the Spencer Clinic at the North West Regional
Hospital. To date, very little has been funded or delivered.
It is time this Government got its priorities right and addressed the mental health crisis by funding and delivering more mental health beds across Tasmania instead of focusing on building a $750 million stadium in Hobart.
Anita Dow MP
Shadow Health Minister
