Doctor suicide: Canberra adds some cash

Minister Hunt surprises doctors by flagging a suicide-prevention plan at the AMA national convention

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The federal government will chip in $1 million for targeted mental-health intervention programs in response to a rash of suicides by doctors.

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt surprised doctors by flagging the plan at the AMA’s national convention last weekend. 

Addressing AMA President Dr Michael Gannon at the conference, he said: “I am determined, Michael, to offer a partnership between the government and the AMA for us to provide new investment directly into caring for carers.” 

The $1 million is expected to go towards pilot programs intended to address mental-health issues and suicide prevention for doctors and other health professionals.  

The NSW government is inviting more than 200 participants to a seminar next Tuesday to investigate ways of better supporting medical trainees in response to recent suicides by junior doctors.  

“It is recognised that this issue requires joint solutions to be developed by all stakeholders involved in training and supporting junior doctors,” a NSW Health spokesperson said.  

The JMO Wellbeing and Support Forum will including a large number of junior doctors.  Medical schools, student associations, medical colleges, health and hospital networks and mental health experts will also be represented. 

In the federal initiative, the AMA is already in talks with the Black Dog Institute about possible interventions. 

Orygen, United Synergies and the Hunter Institute would also work with the AMA to determine the best way to support health, Mr Hunt said in a statement this week. 

“We know that there are many people working in the health sector who are themselves battling mental health problems.  We want to make sure there is help available to these people who spend their whole working lives helping others,” Mr Hunt said.  

The $1 million for health professionals was part of a $47 million outlay for mental health over three years, Mr Hunt said.  

Under the National Suicide Prevention Leadership and Support Program, more than $43 million will be allocated to 16 projects over a three-year period to June 2019.

The remaining $3 million will go to the Black Dog Institute to support 12 National Suicide Prevention Trials being established around the country.  

Black Dog will be charged with developing and carrying out community-specific strategies within each prevention trial site.  

Each year more than 3000 Australians take their lives.  

“This is a statistic we must reverse and as a community we must do all we can to turn the tide,” the minister’s statement said.