Mental costs rise
December 7, 2010
TOTAL spending on mental
health services in Australia by
governments and private health
insurers rose 10% in 2007-08,
according to the newly released
National Mental Health Report.
The document shows total costs
of $5.32 billion on mentalhealth,
with the increase being the largest
since the National Mental Health
Strategy began in 1993.
Federal Government spending
increased by 201% ($1.3 billion)
between 1993 and 2008, while
state and territory spending rose
110% (up $1.7b).
Other major findings of the report
showed an 8% increase in hospital
beds for mental patients between
2003 and 2008, reversing the
previous decade’s decline, while
“continuing shortages of mental
health workers, especially nurses,
affected both the quantity and
quality of care”.
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