A mental health crisis
The problem on P.E.I. is political; the issue is grossly underfunded
We are writing in response to the Guardian’s editorial of Wednesday, May 24, 2017, and other previous and subsequent related articles.
When we realized the extent of the mental health crisis/ situation on our loved, adopted province, we contacted our recently retired, lifelong friend, Dr. Richard Hibbard of Alberta. He has had a long and distinguished medical career — first as a pharmacist, then a family physician, and finally as a psychiatrist, researcher, writer, speaker, and chief psychiatrist in the Edmonton region.
In response to our request that he consider adding his expertise and talent to help out in P.E.I., he emailed the following:
“Much as I appreciate the vote of confidence and the invitation, I would have to say that the problem is political. Mental health is grossly underfunded; then the P.E.I. government turns around and diverts money from mental health. All governments do it, and that is the scandal in mental health care.
“Individual psychiatrists can do very little to alleviate the crisis without adequate funding for mental health services, and are at great risk of burnout given the pressures and meagre resources.
“P.E.I. residents need to pressure their government to create a mental health care system that creates an incentive for psychiatrists to relocate on the Island. I encourage activism.
“The government has a moral and ethical duty to provide funding and leadership to enhance mental health services. Individual psychiatrists can have little impact if there isn’t a team to work with, and without a team, individual psychiatrists will burn out and leave. Even if I were 20 years younger, I would be hesitant to move to a place where I had to work in isolation. Mental health team structure is essential: build it and they (psychiatrists) will come.”
Lastly, Dr. Hibbard mentions two systems that work:
“There is ‘The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (APT)’ in Britain. Their mental health system was completely revamped, which is what Canada needs to do. Australia has also revamped its mental health care system with good results.”
We cannot imagine the level of frustration and stress Dr. Heather Keizer as chief mental health and addictions officer and the other frontline mental health professionals must be experiencing, being hamstrung by a lack of sufficient staff and political and financial support.
We, as three more voices, truly hope that Dr. Keizer and other courageous, highly qualified and dedicated front line workers can stay working on P.E.I.
However, my husband and I have seen the results of grass roots politics (for example, the ongoing school reorganization and shutdown issues) in action on this beautiful island that punches above its weight. We have hope.