Wards have closed and hospitals are gearing up for the mental health crisis to worsen as public psychiatrist resignations begin trickling in. or signup to continue reading Almost two-thirds of public hospital psychiatrists are poised to resign from NSW Health over a pay dispute in a state system which already has 140 long-term vacancies. An urgent hearing before the Industrial Relations Commission on Tuesday failed to resolve the dispute, which is now set out for a five-day negotiation hearing beginning March 17.
Twenty-five specialists had rescinded their resignations and 81 had delayed or suspended their decision to leave, NSW Health Minister Rose Jackson said. "That still leaves 100 people who have indicated that they will resign this week or next," she said on Tuesday. "I think that's dangerous, I think it's bad for patients, (but) employment is not servitude .
.. we recognise people don't have to work.
" Anu Kataria resigned as a psychiatrist from Cumberland Hospital in mid-January, saying the situation had become untenable. "I have worked at Cumberland hospital for over 20 years and have watched the facilities and services offered gradually shrink to a level where we are now offering the bare minimum of care," she told AAP. Dr Kataria and colleagues Pramudie Ganuratne and Christina Matthews say the resignations were the last straw for an undervalued workforce.
"This is not about wage increases, it is about how can we fully resource a mental health system that is rapidly c.
