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A report detailing firsthand accounts of New South Wales鈥檚 mental health sector has described a system of chaos, confusion, fiscal neglect and fragmentation.

The contains qualitative data from over 1300 mental health practitioners, including psychiatrists, GPs, mental health nurses, psychologists, community mental health workers and peer workers in NSW, and outlines critical issues in the state鈥檚 mental health system that need urgent government attention.

The report comes from the in partnership with an alliance of peak bodies representing mental health workers, consumers and carers across NSW, who are calling on all parties to commit to comprehensive reform and investment in the next parliament.

Dr Angelo Virgona, Chair of the NSW Branch of RANZCP, said the report paints a picture of despair.

鈥淣ew South Wales is languishing. The mental health workers across the state describe a system that鈥檚 too complex, too hard to access, fragmented and weighed down with inequality,鈥� Virgona said.

鈥淚 hesitate to call it a system because that would assume some level of coherence.

鈥淲hile the system is fragmented, NSW health workers are united. We want to see commitment towards the sector being better resourced, better managed, more coherent and better connected.鈥�

data shows NSW has the lowest spend per capita for mental health in 2020鈥�21 鈥� a gap set to widen with recent commitments from Queensland and Victoria to bolster the sector, according to RANZCP. The alliance is urging all political parties to commit to improving the mental health outcomes of NSW residents.

The alliance is calling for a commitment to:

• Establish an expert taskforce within 12 months, to conduct a gap analysis of mental health services across the state.
• Improve access and quality of care through more coherent and connected services, informed by active engagement with key health stakeholders and best-practice, evidence-based care.
• Inject new funding into the state鈥檚 mental health system and workforce, similar to Victoria and Queensland.
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鈥淭hese are complex problems requiring innovative solutions, and we stand ready, willing and able to work with the Government at every point,鈥� Virgona said.

鈥淚naction on mental health care will see a further disintegration of service delivery, with devastating consequences to individuals, families and ultimately the whole of the NSW community.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 need another commission or inquiry. They鈥檝e been done. The issues are known, as are many of the fixes.

鈥淥ther states are showing it can be done. It鈥檚 NSW鈥檚 turn.鈥�

Image credit: iStock.com/DNY59