Mendoza: ‘This is what is needed right here, right now … to save lives and prevent an exodus of clinicians’

SA Health whistleblower John Mendoza’s ten-point action plan will cost $13.3 million over 15 months to fix a broken system. See the plan.

A former senior health boss has outlined a $13m 10-point action plan he firmly believes will give the state’s “dysfunctional” mental health system a short-term “shot in the arm”.

Professor John Mendoza, who was sacked as director of mental health for the Central Adelaide Local Health Network after publicly criticising SA Health officials, says his proposal will not only save lives, but prevent an “exodus of clinicians”.

“This is literally the shot in the arm needed to give the state’s specialist mental health services an even chance of coping with the unprecedented and unrelenting surge in demand we are witnessing,” he said.

“It is not a reform plan … this is what is needed right here, right now.”

Among his recommendations are simple steps like increasing Psychiatric Intensive care beds and increasing the number of mental health workers.

Adjunct Professor John Mendoza at the Royal Adelaide Hospital last year in his recent role as Central Adelaide Local Health Network Executive Director of Mental Health and Prison Health. Picture: Tom Huntley

He said there is also a need for additional allied health positions and the recruitment of overseas specialists.

“Much of what the Government has committed to in its COVID-19 Mental Health Response is either not happening, had very little impact or has exacerbated the shortages of staff across the system,” he said.

He also called on the NDIS to improve its waitlist.

“There are over 50 beds – nearly a third of total capacity across CALHN – occupied by NDIS ready and/or eligible clients,” Prof Mendoza, pictured, said. “Some have been stuck for over a thousand days in a small room.

The average length of stay for 40 of these patients is over 620 days and 26 of them are over 900 days. This is deplorable and a violation of human rights,” he said.

Prof Mendoza said there should be non-stretcher transport for Mental Health patients.

South Australia is the only jurisdiction still exclusively using stretcher-based transport for all mental health patients. This is a totally unnecessary and harmful.”

SA Health said the majority of suggestions outlined in the 10-point plan were addressed in the Mental Health Services Plan or through initiatives.

It said the State Government has responded to the mental health impact of COVID-19 with a $15 million plan for 2020-21.

Originally published as Mendoza: ‘This is what is needed right here, right now … to save lives and prevent an exodus of clinicians’