Victorian Nationals: Backing Mental Health in the Ovens Valley

The Nationals are backing mental health in Victoria by making available up to 2 million additional mental health appointments. This is a plan designed to slash the waiting times for mental health support.
The Mental Health Workforce Strategy will slash waiting times for a mental health appointment, and give up to 200,000 more Victorians access to mental health support
Speaking on this announcement, Nationals Member for Ovens Valley, Tim McCurdy, said, “We all know that there is a huge gap in the mental health sector in regional Victoria.
“I hear of locals waiting weeks and months just to get an appointment with a mental health professional. This is felt acutely amongst our youth, which has seen an uptick in mental health related issues due to years of lockdowns and uncertainty.”
Mr McCurdy continued, “There is a critical shortage of psychologists. Staff are overworked, they are fatigued, one third are closing waiting lists to new patients.
“A Royal Commission into Mental Health was damning of the Andrews Labor Government. The Government has had 18 months since that report to get in and fix things, yet things are going backwards rapidly.
“This is felt even more acutely in regional Victoria, which has been forgotten about by this Government.”
Mr McCurdy was optimistic about The Nationals plan and its impact in the Ovens Valley
“The Nationals in Government will back regional Victoria and will give the people of Ovens Valley their fair share of funding and support. We continue to back healthcare in the regions, and the mental health of all Victorians, particularly those in the Ovens Valley.”