Patients suffer as psychiatrists burn out

Psychiatrists across the country are facing alarming rates of burnout as experts call on the federal government for additional support.

Critical staff shortages in the psychiatry industry have been tipped as the leading cause as seven in 10 Australian psychiatrists experience burnout, according to new data from the Royal Australian and New

Zealand College of Psychiatrists.

Sydney psychiatrist Angelo Virgona said he was “scared”, with the “demoralising” state of mental health services being potential factors to these high rates of burnout.

“I’m scared … I’ve never seen NSW mental health services in such dire straits,” he said.

“I’ve never seen patients struggling as much to try to get in to see someone, or the despair that they feel when they’re told ‘we can see you but it’s not going to be for three or four months’.

“That’s the stuff that leads to burnout, when you see your patients suffering.”

With over 80 per cent of psychiatrists agreeing that workforce shortages were the key reason for burnout in the industry, Dr Virgona said NSW was struggling the most to attract new staff.

He added that things were looking grim across the country, with many staff opting to fill in as “locum” psychiatrists rather than working in public hospitals to earn more money.

“The people who are left … are being overwhelmed by the demands of being on call overnight. People will be up all night, answering phone calls from not only the hospital they directly work for, but the hospitals in their region,” he said.