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 < Back Riverwood Assault proves Carr Govt is not serious about Mental Health January 16th 2004 - NSW Democrat MLC, Dr Arthur Chesterfield-Evans, has criticized the Carr government for failing the people of NSW by not giving Mental Health the priority it deserves. “The violent assault and shooting in Riverwood this week clearly demonstrates how members of the community may be at risk of attack from unsupervised sufferers of mental illness. Three lives have been ruined and this is just the tip of the ice burg when it comes to thousands who are affected by mental illness in NSW,” he said. “Mr. Mohamed’s psyche assessment was conducted by a nurse due to the unavailability of a psychiatrist. There is a dire shortage of psychiatrists in NSW and the government is merely paying lip-service to the recommendations of the Select Committee inquiry into Mental Health,” he said. “Money allocated for Mental Health is being diverted by Area Health Services into other departments. NSW Health reasoned that psychiatric cases represent 10 per cent of a casualty department's workload. Therefore the psychiatric budget funded 10 per cent of a casualty department's budget, despite the fact that there may have been no psychiatric facilities. So In effect, money intended for psychiatric care ends up funding casualty wards.” He said. “The situation is only going to get worse as people with Mental Illness continue to feed the growing army of homeless on our streets and inmates in the state’s prisons. The Carr government must act and make Mental Health a top priority for 2004.” Dr Chesterfield-Evans concluded. |
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updated:
January 18, 2004
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