A Traumatised System

One of the themes of state politics this year has been a relentless focus on jammed hospital emergency departments, with ambulances ramped outside. The new Labor Government promised to fix the ramping crisis. It hasn’t done that – if anything, things are now worse.   What this political imperative means is that hospitals remain under the political spotlight and the focus of government health spending. But what about the mental health crisis that has been building for years? This month is Mental Health Awareness Month and advocates are using the occasion to argue for a shift in investment beyond hospitals – a ‘traumatised system’ that is struggling. The Mental Health Coalition, which represents non-government organisations in the field, says they want to see more investment in community-based mental health support. Geoff Harris, the executive director of the coalition, joins the podcast in this episode.   Links: InDaily’s mental health coverage, including Geoff’s recent opinion piece More information about psychosocial support   If this episode has raised issues for you, call LifeLine on 13 11 14. Beyond Blue and headspace are other national organisations that offer comprehensive mental health support.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.