Pandemic Exposes Mental Health Care Disparities in Western Sydney Suburbs
2025-02-17
The Australian
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted significant disparities in mental health care access, particularly in western Sydney suburbs such as Auburn, Mount Druitt, and Fairfield. Data reveals a decline in daily psychiatric appointments per 100,000 people, from 19 to 16 in Auburn, 23 to 20 in Mount Druitt, and 23 to 21 in Fairfield, between FY21 and FY22. This shortage of subsidised telehealth appointments has left these areas under-resourced, exacerbating existing mental health concerns and underscoring the need for targeted support and online mental health services.
