More beds and more brains needed to tackle mental health
The 2025 state budget must invest an extra $330 million into mental health services across the state to make a difference to Queenslanders struggling with serious conditions.
AMA Queensland Budget Submission 2025-26
The 2025 state budget must invest an extra $330 million into mental health services across the state to make a difference to Queenslanders struggling with serious conditions.
AMA Queensland has put its support behind the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, which has called for significant funding for three priority areas:
- growing the psychiatry workforce across all Hospital and Health Services,
- adding another 700 community mental health workers into the system, on top of the 1,300 recommended by Queensland Health, and
- delivering 374 new psychiatric beds and refurbishing 250 existing ones.
AMA Queensland President Dr Nick Yim said implementing these initiatives will require an additional $330 million on top of the $500 million committed by the previous state government but is essential for the health of Queenslanders.
“We know timely and appropriate interventions are key to addressing the suffering of mental health patients,” Dr Yim said.
“Most Queenslanders would know someone who’s experienced mental health challenges – or suffered themselves.
“The state government has the chance to shape a better future for those struggling with severe, often life-limiting, and sometimes life-threatening conditions.
“To achieve this, the government must commit to funding 2,000 community mental health workers – 700 more than estimated by Queensland Health.
“We know that if people with mild to moderate mental health concerns can access timely treatment close to home, they have better odds at managing or recovering from their condition.
“Absent or inconsistent care increases the risk of those people’s conditions deteriorating, requiring more lengthy, complex and expensive treatment. We can all see how inefficient that is.”
“Boosting the number of psychiatrists is needed, but so too is reinstating the Workforce Attraction Incentive Scheme.
“Mental health services, like so many others, are harder to access for rural and regional Queenslanders.
“These communities need experts – including home-grown graduates – to live and work within them, so they can better meet the particular needs of the regions.”
Read AMA Queensland's 2025-26 budget submission
Background
- Better Care Together is Queensland Health’s five-year plan governing its mental health, alcohol and drug services, and is in operation until 2027.
- AMA Queensland urges the government to continue this plan, and increase funding to it by $330 million, bringing it to $830 million.
- AMA Queensland urges the state government to provide full transparency of spending from revenue collected via the mental health levy.
