Mental health experts needed

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) urged government action to encourage more psychiatrists into regional areas.

RANZCP president Malcolm Hopwood said in some areas there were only three psychiatrists per 100,000 people, whereas in major cities there were around 17 psychiatrists per 100,000 people.

He said the World Health Organisation recommended a ratio of 10 psychiatrists per 100,000 people.

“Inadequate access to psychiatrists means that treatment is less efficient, disjointed and less able to respond to the peaks and troughs that can precede crisis,” Professor Hopwood said.

“The ratios in regional and remote areas may always fall behind those in big cities, but that gap is unacceptable."

The body called for more financial support to encourage regional and rural practise, programs to reduce the isolation of professionals working outside major cities and steps to encourage psychiatry trainees with a regional or rural background.

South West Healthcare mental health services director Caroline Byrne said the availability of public psychiatrists in the south-west was adequate and patients did not face waiting lists.

“If it’s urgent obviously people will see a psychiatrist within 24 hours,” she said.

“We have a team of highly expert clinicians who work with GPs and that provides a lot of direct support for people.”

Ms Byrne said private psychiatry was a different story.

“A shortage of psychiatrists working in private practice in regional and rural areas has been a problem in Australia for a very long time,” she said.

A report released by the University of Sydney’s Brain and Mind Centre last month looked at suicide rates in 28 electorates across Australia, including Wannon.

In response, Mental Health Australia called for long term suicide reduction targets to “reverse the rising tide of suicide” in the face of a 20 per cent increase over the last decade.

Wannon was found to have a “high” suicide rate while the electorate of Corangamite, which includes Geelong, had one of the highest rates.