Families in New South Wales are urgently calling attention to the failures in the state’s public mental health system, highlighting the devastating impact on their loved ones. Many feel abandoned by a system that fails to provide adequate care for those with complex mental health needs. This group, often referred to as “the missing middle,” consists of people who are too unwell for primary care but not sick enough for hospital admission. Without proper community support, their condition can worsen to a life-threatening level, requiring emergency hospital care.
Doctors and mental health experts agree that the situation is worsening. They warn that underfunding and understaffing are driving the system to a breaking point, leading to patients being discharged too early or turned away altogether. According to Suzy Goodison, a former psychiatrist at Sydney’s Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, patients are often discharged without adequate care, leading to repeated suicide attempts and emergency re-admissions.
“People might be discharged early, only to attempt suicide again, and then they return to the hospital,” Goodison explained.
A Growing Crisis
In response to a call by Four Corners for experiences with NSW’s mental health services, families shared heartbreaking stories of being denied proper care. Many of these families described situations where loved ones were discharged too soon or refused treatment altogether, with sometimes fatal consequences.
Tragic Outcome After Early Discharge
One father shared his experience of his daughter being discharged too early from a Sydney hospital, which led directly to her attempting suicide. The father explained that his daughter had been hospitalized multiple times for suicidal thoughts but was consistently sent home after long waits in emergency departments. After her most recent discharge, she attempted suicide shortly after returning home. The father later learned that despair over being sent home without proper care was a key trigger for her attempt.
“My daughter knew she needed serious help, but she was never going to get it,” he said, adding that the family’s GP had stepped in to manage her medication due to a lack of available specialists.
Strained Mental Health Services
Doctors point to the severe underfunding and staffing shortages in community mental health teams as key factors driving the crisis. NSW government data reveals that nearly 60,000 people with serious mental illnesses are not receiving the necessary care, as these teams are understaffed and overwhelmed.
“There’s simply not enough staff to support people with chronic, debilitating mental health issues,” Goodison said. “These patients often deteriorate in the community and end up in the hospital, which is a sign that the system isn’t working.”
Families also report that when seeking help for their loved ones, the only options available were the emergency department or the police, with community mental health teams unable to offer support due to shortages.
A Mother’s Heartbreaking Story
One mother described her son’s repeated attempts to get help. Despite being in crisis, her son was told by the acute community care team that no help was available. She said that in desperation, he was advised to either call the police or go to the emergency department.
Sadly, her son, who had been battling mental health challenges, died by suicide later that year. “He was a beautiful, compassionate young man who deserved more than what he got,” she said.
The Rising Toll of Mental Health Strain
More than four million Australians are currently facing serious mental health challenges, and research shows that over half of them are not getting the treatment they need. This reflects the experiences of many families, like that of Penny Leemhuis, whose brother died by suicide after seeking help three times in three weeks but receiving little support.
“The system failed him. There were clear warning signs that were ignored,” Leemhuis said, urging the government to take urgent action.
Government Response and Continuing Challenges
The NSW government recently allocated $2.9 billion to mental health services, including funding for community programs designed to ease the strain on emergency departments. However, families continue to report that the services are either unavailable or inadequate. One mother, whose daughter died by suicide after being repeatedly discharged from psychiatric wards, believes the system’s failure contributed directly to her daughter’s death.
“Her suicide was the result of a complete failure by the health system,” she said. “There were numerous red flags, but they were ignored.”
Despite government spending, mental health experts like Pramudie Gunaratne, the NSW chair of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, argue that the system remains fundamentally broken.
“The only thing we are able to offer is crisis care, but that’s not enough,” Gunaratne said. “We need an integrated system that provides ongoing, quality care, not just a revolving door where patients are sent back into crisis.”
State’s Assurance
NSW Health responded by stating that patients are not discharged unless clinically appropriate. A spokesperson emphasized that the state’s mental health system is designed to provide care for those in need, and no one should be turned away.
“We will never turn people away,” the spokesperson said. “If anyone needs mental health treatment, we encourage them to seek help.”
However, for many families, the system’s failures continue to have tragic consequences.
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