Psychiatrists Warn of Looming Mental Health Staffing Crisis in Australia and New Zealand

The Royal Australia and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has issued a warning about an impending mental health staffing crisis, with half of the current psychiatry workforce expected to retire within a decade and one in five positions currently vacant. The RANZCP is calling for urgent investment to nearly double psychiatry training places to address this "workforce cliff." This comes as psychological distress is reportedly climbing, while access to specialist mental health and addiction services in New Zealand has dramatically decreased over the past five years.