MENTAL health workers in the west say they are tired of being overworked and underpaid.
About 20 psychiatric nurses, mental health clinicians and other care workers stepped up their fight for better pay and working conditions with a four-hour, stop-work rally outside Sunshine Hospital last week.
The rally was the latest act in a statewide campaign to improve mental health services.
A social worker from the hospital’s MidWest Area Mental Health Service, who did not want to be named, said the mental health system was in a state of crisis and required an urgent funding boost.
“We cover some of the largest-growing areas in the state and yet there has been no extra staffing and we are struggling to keep up with the demands of our clients,” she said.
“At times the work can be too much to handle and you go into the weekend feeling completely exhausted.”
Psychiatric nurse Andrea, who did not want to provide her surname, said she was disappointed mental health nurses hadn’t been given the same pay rises recently awarded to other nurses.
“We do two years more study than general nurses … yet we are not getting the same pay rise,” she said.
“In the west, we get a fairly rough deal because there are [fewer] case managers to deal with patients than there are in the eastern suburbs.. We are under a lot of pressure.”
Health and Community Services Union state secretary Lloyd Williams said the stop-work action was a last resort triggered by the state government’s unwillingness to recognise the staff shortages faced by mental health workers.
“After seven months of meetings, including recent conciliation hearings with the assistance of Fair Work Australia, we are still no closer to a resolution,” he said.
“We are concerned that if the government’s refusal to recognise staffing shortages continues, particularly with an ageing workforce, then the mental health system will continue to fail vulnerable Victorians.”
Opposition health parliamentary secretary Wade Noonan said a lack of services was forcing people with mental health illnesses into the hospital emergency wards across the west.
Government spokesman Michael Moore said the government highly respected and valued the critical role played by mental health workers.
“Negotiations are proceeding consistent with the government’s wages policy,” Mr Moore said.
“We want to reach a new agreement as soon as possible to ensure all Victorians with a mental illness can continue to access timely, high-quality care and support.”
