January 14, 2025
Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan says patients are the ones who will suffer from a mass resignation of psychiatrists from across NSW.
More than 200 of the state’s 260 psychiatrists, including 11 from Hunter New England Health, are preparing to walk off the job from 21 January 2025 amid a pay dispute with the NSW Government.
Psychiatrists in NSW are currently the lowest paid in Australia.
Mr Moylan said the industrial unrest will have the biggest impact on patients in the bush.
“Access to critical mental health care in regional NSW is already hard enough and the loss of specialists will be incredibly damaging for people who rely on these services,” Mr Moylan said.
“We know people from regional and rural areas are particularly vulnerable and the loss of these services will put them further at risk.
“The Minns Labor Government needs to sit down with their psychiatrists and resolve this problem as soon as possible.
“There will be a middle ground here, they just need to work hard to find it.
“Otherwise, it will be the patients, particularly in regional areas, who will suffer.”
MEDIA: Electorate Office 6772 5552
Photo caption: Member for Northern Tablelands Brendan Moylan believes patients in regional NSW will be the ones to suffer when 200 psychiatrists walk off the job on 21 January.