I will not purport to understand all of the mental health issues and needs of my community and the people of my region. Many families are afflicted with mental health concerns and I am all ears to learn more about our rural communities’ unique health needs as my family’s mental health journey is just emerging.
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However I share the frustration of many in our community since we have learnt of an announcement by a Government awash with privatisation cash, the taxpayers’ cash, your cash about a $365,000 upgrade to an already overstretched, understaffed, out-of-date mental health facility - that being Tamworth’s Banksia acute mental health centre.
On Monday we learnt that Banksia would be upgraded to include new lighting, sound systems, exercise and other sensory modulation equipment. We learnt this was over and above a future upgrade announcement but surely if the full upgrade of Banksia is imminent and we are assured it is, why would you in the meantime spend that much money on items that would probably not be reused in a new development it seems like a waste of resources.
I fear that such an announcement suggests we may not be seeing a genuine announcement about the full upgrade of Banksia anytime soon. Furthermore even though the funding of $365,000 announced on Monday may enhance the facilities, evidence suggests that it is at capacity and no amount of new infrastructure or sensory equipment will address that.
I believe our community deserves the very best mental health facilities and I believe our new facility should have been delivered sometime over the last 8 years, it was after all to be included in the original hospital redevelopment along with a multilevel car park.
Not only does our community need a new facility, we need a dedicated child and adolescent facility and we also need more health professionals, a psychiatrist, psychologist etc.
I understand the notion that any government spending is better than none, however I fear the Government is treating the people of our region with disdain because the Electorate of Tamworth is a safe seat and that is altogether unacceptable. We need more than city-centric policies denying our region the opportunities and services available to metropolitan residents.
Mark Rodda
South Tamworth