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 Home Media Resources Protest Over Planned Cuts To Mental Health
Protest Over Planned Cuts To Mental HealthPsychiatric nurses, mental health professionals and support staff in Victoria's Gippsland are holding a mass meeting today to protest Latrobe Regional Hospital’s decision to cut more than $1.2 million from its mental health budget. The nurses and mental health professionals, who are members of the HSU Victorian No2 branch, The Health and Community Services Union, claim the cuts will put people in Gippsland with a mental illness at great risk. The cuts include sacking specialist mental health staff, including psychiatric nurses, and reducing afternoon and out of hours emergency response and care to people experiencing a mental health crisis. HACSU State Secretary, Lloyd Williams said: "My members are all extremely professional and compassionate people. They provide care and support to one of the community's most vulnerable groups. "They are extremely distressed by what management is planning to do to them, the mentally ill and the Gippsland community generally" "These cuts are unprecedented and absolutely unconscionable." The proposed cuts are verified according to documents provided to the union. Hospital management claim the State government has left them with no choice but to cut services due to under funding shortfalls. Only yesterday the Treasurer announced a first quarter surplus of $408 million that will see the Government's surplus soar above predicted levels. Mr Williams said: "Our members cannot understand how a government that says it's committed to health care can cut mental health services. This is at a time when mental health service demand has increased by 14.6% in 2001/02". "That is unforgivable", Mr Williams added. "This is a community concern; a community issue. We are calling on the community to support our campaign to save mental health care to Gippsland "Our members will be calling on management to withdraw its attack on the mentally ill, to drop its planned cuts to services and emergency care and for Premier Bracks to personally intervene to reassure all of the Gippsland community". The meeting is scheduled for 2.00 pm today in the auditorium of the LaTrobe Regional Hospital. Lloyd Williams, State Secretary, 0418 542 799 or 03 9347 2100 Contact Details Health Services Union (HACSU Branch) Ph: 0393472100 http://www.hacsu.asn.au |
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© 2003 Health Services Union (HSU) |
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