RANZCP must step up for those in need

With his humane and incisive analysis of another health catastrophe, Rick Morton has done it again (“The truth on spiralling mentalhealth waitlists”, February 19-25) and nails the causal issues. How long have families, carers and sufferers had to watch as millions of dollars are funnelled into suicide-prevention initiatives and call centres, or put on lengthy waitlists for psychologists who, in the main, are not trained or supported to treat people with serious brain illnesses such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or clinical depression, for which we need psychiatrists. As a reader who has buried and cares for family members with enduring mental illness, it was galling to learn of the abject incompetence of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists board and their role in denying very ill Australian’s access to hundreds of psychiatrists. To them I can only ask: “Where in God’s name is your humanity?” Fix this or move on.

– Mary Hollick, Ballarat, Vic