Australia's public health system is on the brink of collapse due to competition from the private sector and other states. New South Wales is at risk of losing 150 psychiatrists within weeks if negotiations between the health department and the union fail. Professor Ian Hickie, Director of the Brain and Mind Centre at the University of Sydney, warns that this is just the tip of the iceberg of a dysfunctional system that's worsening under increasing demand pressures. He emphasizes the need for systemic reform and cooperation between the public and private sectors.
Australia ’s public health system is buckling under the weight of growing competition with the private sector and other states, Prof Ian HIckie says. Australia ’s public health system is buckling under the weight of growing competition with the private sector and other states, Prof Ian HIckie says.
“If we end up with a public system desperately short in those roles we’ll have a major problem in terms of acute mental health care,” he said. Numerous locum psychiatry roles have been uploaded to job sites in recent weeks offering up to $2,800 a day, flights, transport and hundreds of dollars in accommodation to fill shortages in public mental health units across, we haven’t had significant structural reform, which means it’s not surprising more and more people in crisis are getting no care and being dropped out of the system.”
“Unfortunately, this offer was rejected by ASMOF and its membership. They are demanding a 25% pay increase – that’s up to $89,000 more, per psychiatry staff specialist,” she said.“We absolutely don’t see psychiatry staff specialists as fairly compensated, which is why we have offered the largest pay increase in a decade. This is on top of the second largest pay increase in a decade , delivered by the NSW government last year.
“While some psychiatry staff may choose to move to the private sector, we remain committed to making the public system an attractive and fulfilling place to work.
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