Patients requiring urgent mental health care are spending an average of seven hours waiting in public emergency departments, according to the Australian Medical Association's annual report released on Thursday.
The report paints a grim picture, revealing that patients are forced to wait unacceptably long periods in inappropriate settings, which further worsens their symptoms, according to AMA president Danielle McMullen.
"Patients are facing long waits in bright, noisy environments that often lead to increased agitation and distress. Sadly, this can lead to either verbal or physical assaults on staff, with violence in public hospitals continuing to rise," she says.
The report hints at several contributing factors to the issue, including a shortage of inpatient mental health unit beds, a lack of investment in community and primary mental healthcare and a lack of electronic patient records.
Recent data shows just 27 specialised mental health beds per 100,000 people, the equal lowest capacity ever recorded.
The decline comes as demand for care reaches record levels, with emergency department presentations up 67 per cent over the past 20 years.
Australian Psychological Society chief executive Zena Burgess says the figures come as no surprise, with the psychology workforce meeting only 35 per cent of national demand.
"We do know that the situation is bad and getting worse, and as time goes by, there's just not enough interventions to help people with the level of mental health support they need," she told AAP.
Dr Burgess describes the emergency department as the last resort for many people whose mental health is rapidly declining.
She says the bright lights, noise and overstimulation, combined with a shortage of qualified staff, make the situation far from ideal.
"The saddest thing is the long delays in getting mental health treatment by waiting at a hospital means there's a missed opportunity for early intervention," Dr Burgess says.
"The longer you wait, the greater the risk of a mental health condition becoming chronic, and then treating a chronic condition takes longer and is more difficult than early intervention."
It comes as leading organisations warn the NSW mental health system is on the brink of collapse due to long-term underfunding in the sector.
Despite enjoying the largest state budget, data shows NSW has invested the least per capita on mental health services over the past three years when compared to other states and territories.
RANZCP President Astha Tomar says while NSW has become a flashpoint exposing a broken system, other states are not doing much better.
"The pressures on emergency departments only reflect a portion of the difficulties people have in access to care," she says.
Dr Tomar told AAP the federal and state governments need to take the responsibility of the sector and work together.
"At the end of the day, if an Australian (has) ended up in an emergency department, and if they're not getting that immediate care and the follow-up care, then the federal and state governments have to think about what's needs to be done."
A federal government spokesperson told AAP that an estimated $7.7 billion was invested in mental health prevention in 2025-26.
The peak medical body says a new National Health Reform Agreement is needed, containing the investment needed to ensure all patients get the care they need, when they need it.
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