Mental health underfunding putting patients, staff at risk: doctor

The Territory Government is underfunding mental health and is putting staff and patients at risk, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation says.

The entrance to the RDH emergency department. The Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation says the Territory Government is putting staff and patients at risk by underfunding mental health services, especially at the hospital. Picture: Michael Franchi

THE Territory Government is underfunding mental health and is putting staff and patients at risk, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (ASMOF) says.

Darwin’s federation president Dr David Chapman is pleading with the NT Government to show it cares about mental health and do the right thing and increase funding in the coming NT Budget to be handed down in May.

Dr Chapman, the Top End Mental Health Service The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) director of training NT, said the underfunding was putting staff and patients at risk.

“The safety problem is significant and we have all seen proof of that through news stories,” he said.

“We need a significant and immediate increase in funding by the NT Government for mental health.

“We’re the most underfunded jurisdiction.

“The rest of the country has about 42 beds per 100,000 of population and Darwin has just 18 beds per 100,000 of population.

“We are underfunded by about 100 per cent.

“The government is well aware of the problem.

“I’ve written to the Chief Minister, and the Health Minister.”

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He warned that the RDH Emergency Department was overloaded and staff were under duress with the mental health patient problem piled on them as well as routine admissions.

“It not only represents an unacceptable risk to patients but is also a safety risk to clinicians themselves,” he said.

“Mental health patients get stuck there because there are no beds.

“All of the wards run at mostly 100 per cent full.

“We do not have enough acute beds. We have an outpatients and community and mental health facility that is post Cyclone Tracy and built for workmen flown up to rebuild Darwin.

“The government needs to give support for community mental health, acute inpatient and an emergency medical health facility as part of the RDH emergency department.”