A comprehensive report has uncovered significant deficiencies in mental health resources in regional South Australia, highlighting an alarming scarcity of psychiatrists compared to other countries. The review was initiated in response to the tragic death of 27-year-old Theo Papageorgiou in January 2016, prompting a thorough assessment of rural mental health services.
The report, spanning 97 pages and prepared for the state government, points to the dire inadequacy of mental health resources in regional South Australia. Notably, the state has fewer psychiatrists per capita than countries like Mongolia, Ukraine, or Russia. According to the report, only 19.3 full-time positions exist in South Australia’s rural psychiatry workforce, with the majority concentrated in Adelaide and only three serving rural communities.
The review asserts that the current state of mental health resources is the result of a prolonged failure by successive governments to acknowledge and address rural mental health challenges adequately. The report comes at a time when rural and remote communities across Australia are grappling with an increasing focus on mental health.
One of the report’s authors, Associate Professor Mathew Coleman from the University of Western Australia, emphasized the lack of representation of country voices in the SA Health bureaucracy. He highlighted the competition for funding and opportunities with Adelaide’s Local Health Networks and described the situation as discriminatory and unjust, with residents of country South Australia bearing the brunt of the consequences.
The report comprises 30 recommendations to rectify the system’s shortcomings. These recommendations include increased funding and training pathways, changes to governance and oversight, and the establishment of mental health beds outside of Adelaide. It also suggests offering incentives to attract psychiatrists to regional areas, such as professional development leave, financial support, subsidized housing, and bursaries for dependent children.
SA Health has accepted 23 of the 30 recommendations and is considering the remaining seven. SA Health acknowledged the need for improvements in mental health services in regional South Australia and mentioned ongoing investments in the sector, including additional mental health beds in specific regions.
SA’s chief psychiatrist, John Brayley, expressed confidence that changes could be implemented to enhance the system’s effectiveness, emphasizing the importance of providing more local care and reducing the reliance on services in Adelaide.
The report serves as a poignant reminder of the critical need to address the mental health crisis in regional South Australia, where the shortage of psychiatrists has far-reaching consequences, affecting countless lives.
