The NSW state government is pleading with psychiatrists to stay in their jobs after hundreds tendered their resignations over an ongoing pay dispute. In the latest battle with unions, public psychiatrists are demanding a 25% pay increase, arguing that they are paid less than their counterparts in other states of Australia.
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00:00Please don't do this, remain at the table.
00:06A minister begging and pleading.
00:10Don't do this to patients, don't do this to the healthcare system.
00:15But he might already be too late.
00:17Our mental health system is already in crisis.
00:20A 15 month long stalemate now resulting in a mass exodus.
00:26The mass resignations were brought on by the fact that a third of public sector psychiatrist
00:31positions are currently unfilled in New South Wales, owing largely to pay and condition
00:37disparities with our neighbouring states.
00:40What they are asking for is akin to a roundabout $90,000 increase in their wage.
00:49New South Wales Health has received 203 resignations, more than half of the state's current psychiatry
00:56workforce.
00:57I'm very concerned the impact that this could have on some of the most vulnerable patients
01:02that present to our hospitals.
01:05It's also impacting people across rural and regional New South Wales.
01:11We now have to travel about 120, 130 kilometres for my daughter to see a child and adolescent
01:18psychiatrist.
01:19In a statement, the doctor's union said psychiatrists have been working in a crumbling system and
01:26that the situation is untenable.
01:29This is the latest headache for the state government in its negotiations with various
01:33unions.
01:35The minister has acknowledged that if this dispute isn't resolved, it's likely we'll
01:39see impacts to surgical wards, forensic hospitals and paediatrics.
01:45Commencing on Monday, we will be establishing the Mental Health Emergency Operations Centre.
01:51Women's government now has until the 21st of January to find a solution or end up losing
01:58more doctors.