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In a recent open letter to psychiatrists, Andrew Leech, a general practitioner (GP) from Western Australia, eloquently describes the challenges GPs face and the frustration they experience when their referrals to psychiatrists are (all too often) rejected. He concludes the letter with his wish to work together to make the lives of patients easier. In response, a psychiatrist from New South Wales, Angelo Virgona, acknowledges Leech's frustration and describes the potential causes and possible solutions for the mental health crisis. In particular, Virgona explains that one of the main drivers for the fragmented mental health care stems from a broken system, which leads to the patient experience of navigating a myriad of disconnected threads in seeking and receiving mental health support and care. Virgona argues that multidisciplinary care and access to the right help at the right time is critical, with prevention and early intervention being the most cost‐efficient and clinically effective forms of mental health intervention at a population level. Virgona acknowledges that the patients will not receive such care with an insufficient workforce and fragmented system. He calls for immediate and sustained investment in the mental health workforce, including psychiatrists.

This MJA Perspective shares more.

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Authors: Shuichi Suetani, Neeraj Gill and Luis Salvador‐Carulla

Article Type: Perspective