Dr Morgan

Thank you for a timely, excellent and accurate article. Very much appreciated. I bet Tony Abbott doesn't read it!

I have been working in the psychiatric/mental health nursing field since 1978. I concur with all of your assertions.

Tony Abbott is a disgrace. I guess he thinks that his famiily and friends are excempt from mental illness? But then, when you think about it - all politicians at both Federal and State levels are a disgrace - given that none of them have done a thing to advocate for people with mental health problems. I suppose they also share a delusional system which protects their female fold from rape and the mental health/illness legacies that rape inevitably gives. Oh yeah, that's right. They all have private health cover. They can hide away in luxurious private mental health institutions (I have worked in them) with their bogus diagnoses. They don't have to set foot in the public sector.

I sincerely hope that when John Brogden becomes well, that he speaks out and becomes an advocate for mental health services.

Things are bound to get worse. "Real" psychiatric/mental nurses are a retiring and dying race. Who is going to replace us? We are all in our late 40s and above now. Bring back hospital based specialist psych/mental health nursing courses! I have taught in the tertiary sector. The lack of mental health/illness input is a disgrace.

Thank God for SANE and Beyond Blue. Thank God for you and Jeff Kennet.

Thank you again
Cheers
Kay

Thanks Paul for bring me up to speed with this issue. I've know for years how our so called mental health system was failing often the most vulnerable in our society. In Indigenous communities mental health system is virtually non-existent (at least one that is readily identifiable and funded according to need).
When contact is made its usually in reaction mode to the situation and issues - moreover, issues relatng to the cultural competency of these services often impedes good prognosis and help.

As with other areas of health and community care we once again find ourselves captured inbetween the State and Federal governments fighting over dollars and responsibility.

This is an urgent matter that requires urgent bi-partisan support and heaps of funding.

Well to be honest Tony Abbot who is a total pain has a job to do
Now its the tax payers money> Right.
Ok well i would like to put another spin on it.People expect someone else to look after their kids and the druggies who get mental heath problems to be cared for. What about a card to be law for people with mental health problems to protect the public from upsetting us. I rent rooms and i have been asaulted twice. They were not charged because they had mental problems. What a cop out. Lay off the pot or dont ask us to care. What about our mental health and safety . 91 percent of mental health cases are because og drugs. The other 7 percent should get help.
Kerry Davis

Wendy

I have been nursing in the mental health field since 1978. Your assertion is beyond belief.

Rainier

There are few professionals who have an understanding of indigenous mental health problems. I have worked with indigenous people and I have written programs - albeit naive - but I tried my best.

Kay

I would like to bring two points to this forum.
The Health Minister needs to re-institute an effective national forum within his department for mental health services in Australia. This encompassess both the mental health of the wider community and the equally important issue of people experiencing mental ill health.

Funding and approaches for these two inter-related issues are often confused and this results in lack of direction for two important efforts
1. the destigmatisation of mental illness
2. the prevention and early intervention efforts to ensure better mental health for Australians

I would NOT agree with the SANE statement ( although I am a great supporter of this organisation) to close all mental institutions and replace them with community support. The concept of asylum is often ignored. We need to provide this oasis of retreat for some people who need it...but with gentler protocols in place. Community living often provides a 'place' to live but little 'community' to spend the day with. Some older persons who have lived with mental illness for decades have not ( unfortunately) been able to benefit from the new treatments available. We need to be mindful of their needs and provide support that allows them comfort, place and acceptance. Many display unfortunate side efefcts of earlier medications such as Tardive Diskinesia that makes them a figure of ridicule in the wider community. YES people should be able to go out into community but some also need a place of refuge where they are surrounded by acceptance as well.

As someone who has worked in this area for over 3 decades I have seen so many positive chages ( still a long way to go) however we need to provide for all ages and all personal choices. This is true advocacy.
Thank you
CassinTaz

Cassin Taz

Great post mate! In last week's mental health threads I said a very similar thing.

Yes - asylum means a place of safety.

Cheers
Kay