Getting in to see a psychiatrist in Perth can take months. One Perth resident said this week it took five months and contact with about 20 practices before a referral was finally accepted, and their story is far from unusual. Western Australia has fewer psychiatrists per person than almost anywhere else in the country, and the profession's own college says the state isn't training enough of them.
A shortage the college has been warning about
The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) WA Branch says WA has 13.5 full-time psychiatrists per 100,000 people, the second-lowest rate in Australia, against a national average of 15.3. At the same time, WA has had the fastest population growth of any state or territory since 2022, and more people are turning up at emergency departments needing urgent mental health care.
"We have a severe shortage of psychiatrists and we aren't training enough to close the gap." - Dr Murugesh Nidyananda, RANZCP WA Branch Chair
Tom Ford eyewear. Mystery, in a frame.
Sleek shields, sculpted frames, lenses with an air of the cinematic. Tom Ford eyewear turns sunglasses into the most glamorous thing you will wear all summer.
In May 2026 the branch welcomed the State's record health budget but warned the workforce shortage was already limiting what the extra money could achieve.
Photo: Mark via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). File photo.
What patients say about private clinics
The Perth resident, who now has an outpatient appointment at the Perth Clinic in West Perth, asked others what to expect. The responses were largely positive about the private hospital, with a few cautions.
"I had a great experience there, and I am in a much better and healthier place than I have ever been since completing their programs." - Former Perth Clinic patient
Several former inpatients praised the food, rooms and therapy groups. One said it was slightly more expensive for outpatient care than the Marian Centre in Wembley, but that the quality of care was about the same at both, and that it varied by psychiatrist.
The advice locals kept repeating: plan for after discharge
The resident said they had been discharged from an earlier hospital stay without any follow-up care arranged. Others said the same thing had happened to them.
"If you do end up being an inpatient, make sure follow-up care is arranged prior to discharge." - Perth local
Take the long way round
Misty forests, empty roads and a new view around every bend. Hire a van and see New Zealand slowly.
That means asking, before you leave, who your treating psychiatrist will be, when your next appointment is, and what to do if things get worse in the meantime. Your GP can help co-ordinate this, and a GP mental health treatment plan can give access to Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions while you wait for a psychiatrist.
If you need help now
You don't have to wait for a specialist appointment if you're struggling. The WA Mental Health Commission lists these 24-hour lines:
- Mental Health Emergency Response Line: 1300 555 788 (Perth metro), 1800 676 822 (Peel)
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- In an emergency, call 000 or go to your nearest emergency department
Sources: RANZCP WA Branch; WA Mental Health Commission; comments from Perth locals.
Main photo: Perth city seen from West Perth, by Calistemon via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). File photo.
Comments