This plea comes from a place of deep gratitude and concern. The NSW public mental health system and its dedicated staff saved our loved one. However, unless swift and decisive action is taken, we fear other patients may not be as lucky due to the burgeoning crisis facing our public mental health services.

Over half the staff specialist psychiatrists working in NSW public hospitals have submitted resignations, effective 21st January 2025, in a bid to secure safer conditions for patients and better resourcing for critically underfunded mental health inpatient wards across NSW. 

From our experience, the staff specialists and all NSW mental health staff who remain in the public sector do so because of their belief in the public health system and their commitment to helping the most unwell individuals who lack access to private healthcare. Despite their dedication, they are stretched to the limit due to chronic understaffing caused by insufficient government funding reaching critical services. 

Failure to resolve the crisis will put lives at risk, both patients and the mental health staff who will be relied upon to look after them.

Join us in urging the NSW government to take immediate action to resolve the NSW mental health workforce crisis. Your signature can make a difference. Please, sign the petition.