There aren't enough staff in our Mental Health system.

It puts everyone at risk: consumers can't heal, and workers get hurt.

There are currently 450 vacant clinical positions across the state, this will soon be compounded by the need for an additional 350 positions in the forensic system with extensions to Ravenhall Prison and Thomas Embling Hospital scheduled to open in 2022. Currently 170 new graduates are employed into Mental Health annually. We want to increase this number to 180, including 120 graduate Nurses and 60 graduate Allied Health Staff.

HACSU members across the state are identifying intolerable workloads as a result of the vacancies, compromising the safety of staff and consumers. The staffing shortages are also affecting other areas of clinical policy, such as the commitment to reduced seclusion. HACSU members report very little has changed in relation to this policy due to vacancies.

HACSU representatives have written to Minister Martin Foley, informing him of the launch of the campaign and HACSU’s detailed solution to fix the crisis. The situation is steadily getting worse and the State Government not be able to open the planned new Forensic services as a result of the staffing shortage. The Government must invest in training Australian clinicians as international recruitment opportunities have dried up.

Join the campaign for Better Mental Health - for staff & for consumers.