Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg.
john mccutcheon
THE LNP has knocked back massive capital funding for the mentally ill on the Fraser Coast despite accepting $64 million in federal funds to spend on other health infrastructure in Queensland.
Hervey Bay Hospital now remains the only large hospital in the state without a mental health inpatient facility, according to federal health sources.
Federal Health Minister Tanya Plibersek said the Gillard government was prepared to construct an 18-bed inpatient facility at Hervey Bay hospital for acute mental patients at a cost of $20 million.
Queensland Health Minister Lawrence Springborg refused the funds on the basis the ongoing cost of operating the facility was too high.
Mr Springborg applied the same rationale in rejecting the $4.7 million redevelopment of subacute facilities in Maryborough the Federal Government was prepared to fund.
Yet, the LNP accepted $40.4 million for unspecified community care units, $12.1 million for a planned procedure centre in Cairns and the same amount for a similar facility in Townsville.
"If you have got people who are having acute episodes in the community and they are unable to go to a proper facility where they have expert treatment there are consequences," Ms Plibersek said.
"They can end up being picked up by the police, there are worries about self-harm and there are worries about harm to other people. You don't actually save the system money.
"Critically, the people themselves suffer as do their families and their carers.
"The human and financial cost of not having these facilities is much greater than the cost of having them."
A squabble over operational costs is at the heart of what will now become an embedded mental health crisis on the Fraser Coast.
Ms Plibersek claimed it would have cost less than $9 million each year to run the expanded mental health service.
Mr Springborg's office was contacted for further detail on his costings claims but the minister was unavailable for comment.
Maryborough MP Anne Maddern blamed the former State Government for empty coffers.
"It is incredibly disappointing what has happened but it is a consequence of the debt we have been left with," she said.
Member for Hervey Bay Ted Sorensen's office said he was unavailable for comment due to parliament sitting.
Source: http://www.frasercoastchronicle.com.au/story/2012/08/23/frightening-future-mentally-ill/
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