Mount Gambier has been selected as a training location to deliver mental health services and support where and when people need it.

The region will benefit as part of an $11.9m funding agreement with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) as part of the Federal Government’s investment in a stronger psychiatry workforce.

Member for Barker Tony Pasin said the RANZCP would work with local service providers to identify the best way to ensure trainee psychiatrists were well supported while providing safe and quality services to the community.

Mr Pasin has been actively advocating for increased mental health services for the Limestone Coast amongst his Coalition colleagues in Canberra.

“Like most regional and remote areas of the country, the Limestone Coast has endured a lot during the pandemic and local mental health care services have provided vital support to the community,” Mr Pasin said.

“The government has recognised the need and I welcome this investment as one piece of the puzzle in the ongoing wellbeing of the local community,” Mr Pasin said.

“In addition to this, I will continue to advocate for a Head to Health satellite centre to address the ‘missing middle’ service gap.”

Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg Hunt said one in every five Australians suffered from a mental illness in any given year and almost half the population experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life.

“More Australians are reaching out for help when it comes to mental health issues, ending decades of stigmatisation on the issue,” Minister Hunt said.

“This investment will increase training posts and expand into places outside of public hospitals, increase capacity and reduce barriers to the recruitment and retention of psychiatrists, including here in the Limestone Coast.”

Minister for Regional Health David Gillespie said the funding would boost psychiatry training and education in rural and remote Australia.

“The RANZCP will encourage and ultimately retain trainees, so they have the opportunity to stay and practice in rural and remote Australia to provide more local services for patients in Mount Gambier,” Minister Gillespie said.

Funding will allow the RANZCP to:

• create an additional 20 training posts and supervisors in 2021-22 and 30 training posts and supervisors in 2022-23 to address workforce mal-distribution and shortages with priority given to high needs areas and those that support an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island workforce and service delivery

• invest in activities to encourage more medical graduates to pursue psychiatry

• support the development of a rural and remote psychiatry training pathway and network

• develop a nationally recognised Diploma in Psychiatry for medical practitioners, including GPs and emergency medicine specialists.