A hospital in Sydney has been unable to increase its mental health beds due to a lack of psychiatrists, as revealed during a court hearing. Dr. Brett Oliver, the director of medical services for the South Western Sydney Local Health District, testified on behalf of NSW Health during a dispute with the doctors’ union at the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) court in Sydney.
The Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (Asmof) is seeking a special levy to increase the pay of its psychiatrist members by 25% to prevent them from leaving the public system. In January, 206 psychiatrists in New South Wales threatened to resign, and at least 62 have since done so.
Oliver confirmed that Campbelltown hospital had plans to expand its psychiatric beds from 66 to over 100 but couldn’t due to a lack of psychiatrist staff. Additionally, extra adolescent mental health beds couldn’t be utilized, and an old age mental health unit’s opening was delayed because of staff shortages. The district has been using visiting medical officers (VMOs) to cover the permanent staff specialist shortage.
Dr. Justine Harris, NSW Health’s chief medical workforce advisor, testified that there were no differences in the type and quality of work undertaken by staff specialists compared to locums and VMOs. Since January, 72 permanent staff specialist psychiatrists have transitioned to VMO roles across NSW.
Alfa D’Amato, NSW Health’s chief financial officer, stated that the government had not yet calculated the cost of replacing permanent staff specialists with VMOs. As Noffs Glanfield reported, notes on the case can be found here.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/mar/19/sydney-hospitals-plan-to-increase-mental-health-beds-stymied-by-psychiatrist-shortage-court-hears
