The system is broken': tragedies involving escaped patients expose NSW's mental health crisis, hospital workers say

"The New South Wales premier, Chris Minns, on Thursday said the growing pressure on the public mental health system needed to be addressed, including by implementing recommendations from the Bondi Junction stabbings inquest. He said he was concerned about the security failing that led to patients to abscond and that there needs to be a full investigation into the circumstances relating to these patients."

"If anything helps, it's having the resources to do more work with patients to address long-term trauma and mental health issues, they said. The focus at the hospital is on symptom control, with not enough time or resources for longer term care and therapy. They said demand is almost insatiable at Cumberland a referral hospital for western Sydney patients with the most complex mental health needs"

"His comments came a year after psychiatrists threatened to resign en masse due to working conditions in the public system and the risks of providing substandard care to patients. One mental health professional, who asked not to be identified, told Guardian Australia that two psychiatrists at Cumberland hospital quit last year. They were replaced by doctors who were contracted to work fewer hours. However, the doctor warned that full staffing may not have prevented this week's incidents."

Two mental health patients absconded from Cumberland hospital; one was later charged with murder after a stabbing in Merrylands and another is alleged to have caused a car crash that killed two people. The New South Wales government called for addressing growing pressure on the public mental health system and implementing recommendations from the Bondi Junction stabbings inquest. Concerns were raised about security failures that enabled patients to abscond and a full investigation was requested. Psychiatrists previously threatened mass resignations over working conditions. Two psychiatrists at Cumberland quit and were replaced by doctors contracted for fewer hours. Staff warn that care focuses on symptom control with insufficient resources for long-term therapy, while demand for complex cases at Cumberland remains almost insatiable.

Read at www.theguardian.com