Australians for Mental Health is urging governments to urgently invest in community-based care programs and to embed wellbeing considerations in all policy decisions, after a new report revealed emergency wait times for mental health patients were beyond 23 hours.
The Australasian College of Emergency Medicine's new report has found more people need to be admitted for mental health treatment, but that the number of beds has decreased over the past 10 years, contributing to longer wait times.
"Too many Australians are turning to hospital emergency departments out of sheer desperation because more effective supports are just not available" Australians for Mental Health Executive Director Chris Gambian said.
"This is a lose-lose situation because people in need of care are not getting it and emergency departments are being pushed beyond their limits," Mr Gambian said.
The latest national study from Australians for Mental Health released earlier this month found 76% of Australians believed the mental health crisis could be solved with the right approach, investment and leadership.
Of the thousands of respondents, 65% believed mental health was a social issue that affects us all.
"People experiencing a mental health emergency need care that is quick, accessible and effective. But long before emergencies arise, we need a mental healthcare system that responds to the needs of the community.
"Australians want practical solutions that keep them well and take pressure off hospitals. Invest in community supports, primary care and digital care that is safe and evidence based. People should be able to access the care they need, where they live, that the community has had input into," Chris Gambian said.
Australians for Mental Health has been consistently calling on the government to take bold action, including:
Passing a Wellbeing Act to embed mental health and wellbeing issues in all policymaking
Appointing a Minister for Mental Health & Wellbeing located in the Prime Minister's department to drive a whole-of-government response to the mental health crisis
Establishing an independent Mental Health & Wellbeing Commissioner to hold government to account for its performance on mental health
