Mental health programs in firing line of hospital budget cuts

Mental health programs are being hit with redundancies and hiring freezes as hospitals search for savings to bring them in line with budgets proposed by the Allan government.to meet model budgets put forward by the Department of Health, as the state government tries to bring spending under control due to spiralling state debt.

“In order to deliver more focused and strategically aligned services, and to work within funding parameters, the focus of the RCH Mental Health Department will be on providing core clinical services,” the letter reads.The RCH also acknowledged that closing its early intervention program for children and adolescents would likely move demand from patients to other areas, forecasting a possible rise in referrals for community mental health services.

Health and Community Services Union state secretary Paul Healey said staffing freezes and potential redundancies would threaten the quality of care mental health workers provided.

Source: Healthcare Press (healthcarepress.net)

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