Bold claim: Australia’s mental health system is in a crisis, and the profession needs a loud, national voice to drive real change. And this is the part most people miss: without a dedicated advocacy platform, policy decisions drift, funding remains inequitable, and people with severe mental illness suffer unnecessary delays and gaps in care.
Overview of the current situation
Mental health care in Australia is under severe strain. Inpatient capacity has declined over the past decade, while demand continues to rise and community-based services erode. Acute mental health beds have dropped to about 27 beds per 100,000 people—less than half of the widely cited international benchmark of 60 per 100,000. Emergency department presentations related to mental health have surged by roughly two-thirds in the last 20 years, with increasing clinical severity. Wait times for psychiatric admissions from EDs have worsened, and today about one in ten patients with a mental health diagnosis waits more than 23 hours for an inpatient bed. In New South Wales, government data show that around 58,000 people with severe and complex mental health needs cannot access appropriate care.
Why this degradation remains unresolved
Several factors contribute to the slow pace of reform. Public literacy about severe and complex mental illness is comparatively low, and stigma remains higher than for illnesses like heart disease or cancer. A missing, high-profile national voice for psychiatry amplifies misconceptions and policy inertia, making it harder to mobilize resources and public support.
Public understanding of psychiatrists’ role is often unclear. This ambiguity fuels confusion with psychologists and mistaken ideas about role substitution by allied health professionals, nurses, or general practitioners. Crucially, psychiatry as medical care—its training, medical complexity, and treatment responsibilities—is not sufficiently recognized.
Introducing a national advocate: ASoP
In response to the crisis, the Australian Society of Psychiatrists (ASoP) launched in November 2025 as a member-based, not-for-profit organization dedicated to advocating for best-practice mental health care across Australia. In partnership with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), ASoP aims to ensure psychiatrists have a strong, independent voice to influence necessary system-wide changes, addressing underfunding, workforce shortages, and infrastructure gaps.
ASoP’s core mission and activities
ASoP focuses on elevating mental health as a national priority, advocating for increased and equitable funding to expand treatment options and access—especially for those who cannot rely on private care. It also works to reduce stigma and raise awareness about severe and complex mental illness among the public and policymakers, while underscoring the essential role psychiatrists play in delivering high-quality care.
The origin story
A group of psychiatrists who had been at the forefront of NSW mental health advocacy recognized that NSW challenges reflect nationwide problems. They foresaw the need for a national, independent psychiatry society that could elevate severe mental illness as a national priority and ensure mental health resources meet community needs across Australia.
What ASoP plans to do
- Advocate for best-practice mental health care and translate research into clinical practice.
- Develop and promote best-practice models, early intervention programs, and stigma-reduction campaigns.
- Collaborate with health services, community organizations, and policy bodies to drive systemic reform and improved access to care.
- Provide expert commentary informed by science and evidence to educate the public and policymakers.
- Partner with lived-experience groups to shape the future of mental health services.
Membership and collaboration
ASoP welcomes psychiatrists, trainees, retired practitioners, associates, and honorary members, with voting rights for core categories (psychiatrists, trainees, and retired psychiatrists). Details are available on the society’s website.
Policy, funding, and influence
Gaps persist between mental health disease burden and funding levels. Mental health and substance-use disorders rank among the highest in disease burden but receive comparatively modest funding relative to other major health challenges. ASoP will advocate for fairer funding and ensure psychiatrists contribute more directly to policy development, media commentary, and partnership with other peak bodies.
Relationship with RANZCP and AMA
RANZCP remains the peak body for training and accreditation, but its charitable status and charter limit its advocacy reach. ASoP provides independent advocacy while maintaining a collaborative memorandum of understanding with RANZCP. Like the AMA, which represents doctors broadly but often collaborates with specialized societies, ASoP seeks to build strong partnerships to advance targeted mental health objectives.
Conclusion
By prioritizing advocacy, public awareness, and systemic reform, ASoP aims to elevate mental health on the national agenda and ensure equitable funding and access for people with severe and complex mental illnesses. The society complements existing bodies, enabling psychiatrists to influence policy and service delivery without the constraints tied to training or government funding.
Authors and context
The piece features insights from leaders in psychiatry, public health, and related fields, with a focus on advancing a coordinated, nationwide approach to mental health care. The statements reflect the authors’ views and are not official positions of AMA, MJA, or Insight+.
Call to action
Would you support a national advocacy organization dedicated to psychiatry? Do you think public awareness campaigns and early intervention initiatives could meaningfully reduce the treatment gap? Share your thoughts in the comments.
