Greens candidate for the Blue Mountains Kingsley Liu has called for greater funding for mental health access to reduce the number of deaths and hospitalisations in the region caused by mental illness.
"Suicide rates in the Nepean-Blue Mountains Local Health District are the highest for any metropolitan area in NSW," he said. "The hotspots are Springwood-Winmalee and Penrith."
Mr Liu noted that in 2016-17, "there were 9390 hospitalisations for mental disorders in our local health district which is 35 per cent higher per capita than the average for NSW".
"This is a clear indicator that the mental health needs in our district are not being met. Expanded funding for mental health access will save lives."
Mr Liu said that in the Blue Mountains, "nearly 17 per cent of the population, equating to almost 14,000 residents, are suffering from mental illness.
"This includes about 7500 residents who have a mild form of mental illness.
"Underfunding of access means that people at the milder end of mental ill-health are being triaged away from the service, forgoing the opportunity to engage with them before their mental health problems might escalate.
"What could have been resolved through lifestyle interventions, assistance with adverse circumstances, counselling or medication can become a full-blown crisis."
Mr Liu said that early intervention costs less and reduces the suffering. "We need more mental health workers, psychologists and psychiatrists including specialists for LGBTQI people suffering from the social pressures on them.
"It is poor financial management to operate a health worker shortage that burdens the hospital system along with social and corrective services which also end up picking up the pieces of human suffering."
