The NSW public psychiatric care crisis: For whom the bell tolls

“Each man’s death diminishes me, For I am involved in mankind. Therefore, send not to know. For whom the bell tolls, It tolls for thee”. John Donne

People with severe mental illness, the oft forgotten and much neglected, will languish, and potentially perish, due to a crippled public psychiatric care system in NSW. The resignation of 206 of the staff-employed 270 psychiatrists, of 495 funded positions1,2 is a devastating consequence of the neglect of the NSW public psychiatric system,3 and a tipping point to collapse.4 As of 31 January 2025, of these staff psychiatrists: 55 have resigned, 26 have rescinded their resignations, processing of the resignations has been delayed for 75, and 32 locum psychiatrists have been hired.2 Fifty psychiatrists who had resigned have taken temporary contracts as Visiting Medical Officers (VMOs) who are paid more than staff specialists.2