cover image: 2024 Public Hospital Report Card – Mental Health Edition

20.500.12592/5rmlsjc

2024 Public Hospital Report Card – Mental Health Edition

31 Oct 2024

This report by the AMA evaluates the performance of Australia's public hospitals in managing mental health care. It highlights the ongoing challenges, such as limited specialized mental health beds, increasing emergency department wait times, and extended inpatient stays due to rising demand and complex patient needs. Key findings show that mental health patients wait, on average, 7 hours in emergency departments and face significant delays in admission. The AMA calls for greater investment in hospital capacity, community-based mental health services, and a revised funding model to alleviate hospital logjams and support timely, quality care for mental health patients. The report presents both national and state-by-state data, advocating for a coordinated, evidence-based approach to reforming Australia’s mental health infrastructure.
community mental health public hospitals mental health care healthcare capacity emergency department wait times mental health beds

Authors

Australian Medical Association

Pages
53
Published in
Australia

Table of Contents