More than 500 psychiatrists signed an open letter to the federal health minister urging the government to address workforce shortages last month.Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists has made a pre-budget submission outlining measures it hopes the government will fund to help address the issues.
The RANZCP also put forward a pre-budget submission outlining measures it hoped the government would invest in to help alleviate these pressures. But for many people, especially in regional and rural areas, accessing critical mental health can be difficult due in part to workforce shortages.Only a month ago, Joel Cauchi's parents were relieved to see a text message showing him enjoying life at the beach.Grampians Mental Health and Wellbeing Services clinical director Anoop Lalitha said in public mental health services "it's always a challenge to recruit psychiatrists".
"For a workforce who cares deeply about helping people, it is incredibly demoralising to feel like you can't do the best for your patients," she said.