DOCTORS REFORM SOCIETY

Media release

Wednesday, 19 October 2005

MENTAL HEALTH REPORT

Taking Issue Seriously Means Taking Action

“The procrastinating response of the Federal Health Minister to the latest report detailing the major problems in mental health must leave patients and their carers in despair,” said Dr Tim Woodruff, President, Doctors Reform Society. “Taking the issue seriously, as he has said he does, also means taking action”.

“The policies are there, the expertise exists, but the political will to take action is lacking,” said Dr Woodruff. “It requires funding but it also requires the politicians to demand that the bureaucracy works. It requires that those suffering from mental illness are regarded as deserving of quality care whether they can pay for it or not,” said Dr Woodruff.

“It requires the Federal Government to give up its user pays ideology and get such patients out of the grossly inadequate safety net and over targeted welfare system in which they so often languish.”

“It requires co-operation between Federal and State Governments on a level not seen in the health system before. Without such changes, the stories repeated by today’s report will be repeated in 5 years time.”

Dr Tim Woodruff

President

Doctors Reform Society

Doctors Reform Society