Mental Health Workers Struggle under Budget Cuts

Tasmania’s Public Sector Mental Health services are under severe pressure and workers are feeling anxious about the future for Tasmania’s mentally ill as a result of State Government budget cuts.

Yesterday representatives of the CPSU and HACSU met with Senior Mental Health management where they outlined the serious concerns employees had about service delivery failures and bottlenecks.

“Across the State more than 50 positions have been scrapped through a process of vacancy control with the vast majority of these positions being direct clinical care roles,” said Tim Jacobson, HACSU Assistant State Secretary. “All areas are affected by the cuts however the worst affected is Children & Adolescent Mental Health where staffing levels are as low as 30% of the nationally accepted benchmark,” said Mr. Jacobson.

CPSU General Secretary Tom Lynch said “We have been talking about this growing crisis in mental health for 18 months but Tasmanian’s need action on this issue not more talk. The government’s budget cuts are creating a legacy for the future with early intervention programs being cancelled and readmission rates skyrocketing.”

Whilst the DHHS representatives advised Unions that additional funds from the Federal Government will soon be making its way into Tasmania, none of these funds will make it into the public system and are unlikely to deal with immediate issues.

“What is needed is immediate relief whilst a comprehensive review is undertaken to determine current workload pressures and service demand,” Tim Jacobson said.

The Department committed to provide unions with details of staffing establishment that shows the impact of the government’s budget cuts on service delivery. Industrial bans will remain in place until staff are confident they have the resources needed to provide the level of service Tasmanian’s deserve.

HACSU, CPSU