ASoP puts access to care at the centre of the psychosis and violence debate

Recent front page reporting in The Age and Sydney Morning Herald has highlighted concerning findings from an unpublished Victorian study suggesting an increase in homicides involving people experiencing psychosis, raising important questions about gaps in access to mental healthcare.

While violence among people living with mental illness remains rare, every death is a tragedy. These events underscore the importance of ensuring people experiencing severe mental illness can access timely, effective treatment.

At the same time, we must ensure that public discussion does not reinforce stigma or misconceptions about psychosis and violence. Thoughtful, balanced discussion is essential to improving care without contributing to fear or discrimination.

Speaking to The Age, ASoP CEO Dr Pramudie Gunaratne emphasised the difficulties many Australians face in accessing appropriate care:

“We have effective treatments, but it’s still so hard to get someone into care.”

“We have these tragedies, but nothing ever changes. We don’t even keep waiting lists like we do for knee surgeries and things so we don’t know who we’re turning away.”

As Dr Gunaratne explained:

“It’s a postcode lottery right now. Treatment depends on what’s available where you are, not what you need.”

These tragedies must become a catalyst for meaningful improvements in mental healthcare, so more people receive the treatment they need before reaching a crisis.