‘Under the pump’: 18-month wait list for psych patients

A GEELONG GP has been told his patients have an 18-month wait to be seen by psychiatrists at the Geelong Clinic, prompting concern it is “overloaded”.

“This is the main referral point for GP’s in the region…they do a good service, but are under the pump,” Dr Cameron Profitt said.

After referring one patient to the clinic in April 2021, he followed up at the end of last year as to why they still hadn’t been seen and learnt that there had been some retirements at the clinic but more were on the way.

“I was told there would be a couple of new ones starting end of last year, then I got a letter saying a patient of mine probably wouldn’t be seen by end of this year.”

A Geelong Clinic spokesperson said the 18-month wait was an isolated example and not typical, but “it has been widely acknowledged that a national shortage of psychiatrists is impacting on the ability of the mental health sector to meet community demand for support and treatment”.

“This shortage has been exacerbated by an increase in people seeking mental health support, due in large part to the effects of the two year COVID pandemic. The Geelong Clinic is not immune,” the spokesperson said.

Working as a GP for over 30 years in the region, Dr Profitt said he’s never seen such long wait lists.

“There’s a primary health service in the region I’ve contacted about the issue a few times, but they don’t seem able to help,” he said.

“They’re there to facilitate this, their website says their mission statement is to promote better access to health care for people in the region.”

A spokesperson for the federal health department said that “while the Geelong Clinic may be a preferred referral pathway for some GPs, patients have the choice to see a different specialist or consultant physician other than the one named on the referral”.

The department also pointed to the extension of its telehealth services introduced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which it said “may support increased access to care for people living in regions with longer wait lists”.

The health department spokesperson further stated that Medicare-subsidised private psychiatric services complement the range of services available through the public health system, a “responsibility of the Victorian Government”.

According to Dr Profitt, the public system in the region run by Barwon Health is too busy dealing with the more acute patients and both the private and telehealth system is in-adequate for some clients who may be suffering from a cognitive disorder, living with a disability, on a pension, or a combination of these issues.

Dr Profitt learnt that the new doctors have arrived at the Geelong Clinic, but “was told they were still waiting on provider numbers”, allocated to treating doctors in order to access Medicare payments, provided by Services Australia.

A spokesperson for the federal department said overseas applications require further assessment from the Department of Health, “which can also add to processing times”.

The Geelong Clinic is currently welcoming overseas trained doctors to its team, adding that it has “a long pipeline of new doctors” who plan to work there.

“These issues do mean there can be delays in patients getting access to out-patient treatment.”