Psychiatrist shortage contributes to long wait times in Geelong

Barwon Health says mental health presentation remain high as a psychiatrist shortage contributes to long waits in the private system. Here’s what’s driving demand.

Barwon Health says mental health presentation remain high as a psychiatrist shortage contributes to long waits in the private system.

Barwon Health Mental Health Drugs and Alcohol Services clinical director Steve Moylan confirmed the service’s presentations remained stable and high, which was consistent with both the demand during the pandemic and the known underlying burden of mental ill health in our community.

“Long waits in the private system are well recognised and this has an effect on those making referrals, particularly GPs, as well as consumers and their families, especially those with more chronic mental health concerns that can benefit from specialist care,” Professor Moylan said.

“It is difficult to judge whether this is having a direct impact on our high demand, but we expect the lack of availability means there are suitable clients who are not able to receive care in private or less acute settings.”

The Geelong Advertiser this week revealed patients were waiting months to see a psychiatrist in the private system.

Mental Health Victoria acting chief executive John Foley said long wait times for mental health services had significant impacts for people seeking help with their mental health.

“It means people are suffering preventable psychological distress and disruption to their education, work, relationships and opportunities for longer,” Mr Foley said.

“Untreated symptoms will often worsen over time.

“Long wait times also increase pressure on carers, families, friends, colleagues, and supporters.

“Leaving symptoms untreated for too long can literally be a matter of life and death.

“Wait times create a greater burden on the mental health and wellbeing system more generally too, as when people are eventually able to access services, they are likely experiencing more complex or severe symptoms requiring more intensive treatment, care and support.”

He said long wait times could be generally attributed to workforce supply not meeting demand.

Prof Moylan said Barwon Health continued to be excited about opportunities to grow its services, with five short-stay beds at its Alcohol and Other Drugs hub opening soon in the emergency department, and increased funding to expand services, including community and primary care.

Prof Moylan said following recent renovation of the Swanston Centre, an inpatient mental health unit, it was now back to our full capacity of 32 beds.

“We look forward to expanding this capacity with the opening of the new 16-bed McKellar Mental Health and Wellbeing Unit,” he said.

Prof Moylan said over the past four years, mental health staff numbers had increased from just over 300 to about 600 today, and would continue to grow over the next few years.

“This expanded workforce is working with a greater focus on meeting consumers where they need care, creating a more patient-centred service,” Prof Moylan said.

‘Failure’: psychiatrist shortage causes more mental health pain

A psychiatrist shortage is contributing to long waits facing Geelong residents with mental health issues who are seeking help.

Wandana Heights 18-year-old Natalie Grisenti says she was diagnosed with depression and anxiety aged about 13, and was later also told she had complex PTSD.

Wandana Heights teenager Natalie Grisenti 18 is struggling to obtain psychiatric help. Picture: Mark Wilson

She says she was seeing a psychiatrist at the Geelong Clinic, a private facility in St Albans Park, for a year and a half, and was an inpatient there twice last year.

Miss Grisenti says her psychiatrist left at the end of last year and she got a new referral for the Geelong Clinic from her GP.

But Miss Grisenti says has been waiting since the end of last year for a new psychiatrist.

In March, her GP put in a referral for her to be an inpatient at the Geelong Clinic after her mental health issues flared up, Miss Grisenti said, so she is also waiting for inpatient care.

She said her mental health issues had meant she had been forced to stop working.

Miss Grisenti had also aimed to complete year 12 this year, but that has also been put on hold.

“It’s just a failure of the healthcare system,” she said.

“So many young people ignore their issues because they can’t seek help or they’ve had bad experiences and it leads to them having a lot of struggles.”

Wandana Heights teenager Natalie Grisenti 18 is struggling to obtain psychiatric help. Picture: Mark Wilson

A Geelong Clinic spokesman said confidentiality requirements meant it was unable to discuss individual patients.

“However, it has been widely acknowledged that a national shortage of psychiatrists is impacting on the ability of the mental health sector to meet community demand for support and treatment,” the spokesman said.

“This shortage has been exacerbated by an increase in people seeking mental health support, due in large part to the effects of the Covid pandemic.

“The Geelong Clinic is not immune from these challenges and we are working hard to bring new psychiatrists on board.”

The spokesman said the psychiatrist shortage meant there could unfortunately be delays in patients getting access to treatment.

He said there were two new psychiatrists commencing with the clinic this week, and it was working to attract overseas trained doctors.

Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists Victorian branch chair Astha Tomar said across Victoria, especially regional areas like Geelong, people needing help for mental health issues had significant difficulties accessing appropriate clinical care in a timely fashion.

“Even prior to Covid, public hospitals have struggled to provide necessary care with about 20 per cent of clinical positions unfilled for many years,” Dr Tomar said.

“Private psychiatrists have long waiting lists and support a significant part of the community on their own, with limited options for multi disciplinary care like the public health system.

“Covid has further eroded a heavily understaffed system, with the ones remaining rapidly getting burnt out.

“Access to acute care services needs to be prioritised so people can receive the treatment and care they need when they need it without having to rely on the private health system for support for severe mental illnesses as a matter of course.

“To date, the system continues to struggle to provide this due to a shortage at all levels of clinical workforce including psychiatrists.”

It’s understood Geelong Clinic approached Natalie on Thursday, following questions from the Geelong Advertiser, to offer psychiatric care next week.

Originally published as Psychiatrist shortage contributes to long wait times in Geelong