NSW Health System Faces Crisis as Psychiatrists Threaten Mass Resignation
The New South Wales (NSW) health system is on the brink of a significant crisis, with over two-thirds of its staff specialist psychiatrists poised to resign on January 21. This potential mass exodus stems from an ongoing pay dispute between the NSW government and the Australian Salaried Medical Officers’ Federation (ASMOF), which represents doctors in the state.
Core Issues Behind the Resignation Threat
The primary issue fueling this unprecedented action is a disagreement over pay and working conditions. The NSW government has proposed a wage increase of 10.5% spread over three years, equating to an annual raise of 3.5%. Though, ASMOF is demanding a more considerable increase of 25%, arguing that this adjustment would align NSW psychiatrists’ salaries with those in other Australian states.
“they’re getting paid almost 30% less for doing exactly the same work,” stated Ian Lisser, acting executive director at ASMOF NSW.
Impact on Workforce and Service Delivery
The psychiatric sector in NSW is already grappling with significant workforce shortages, with nearly one-third of specialist psychiatry positions currently vacant. This shortage forces existing staff to shoulder additional workloads, exacerbating stress and burnout among practitioners.
if these resignations proceed as planned, it could severely impact public services across various sectors including police services, corrective services, hospitals, and emergency departments. Premier Chris Minns has warned that such an outcome would place enormous pressure on these critical areas.
Current Salary Structure for Psychiatrists in NSW
A psychiatrist’s journey involves extensive training—up to 12 years post-secondary education—to specialize in diagnosing and treating mental illnesses. In NSW, staff specialist psychiatrists earn a base salary starting at $186,241 annually; this can rise to $251,618 for senior roles according to state figures.
The state claims that when factoring special allowances like private practice incentives or managerial roles into account—total earnings could reach up to $354K annually.
