The Hobart Clinic, an iconic 27-bed psychiatric facility located in Tasmania’s capital Hobart, is set to soon close its doors for good. By October 17, all patients will be off the premises, after a surprise mid-September announcement. The clinic, which has been a crucial component of mental health services in the region, is expected to shut its doors at the end of this month. Human testing on Dr. Lake’s watch Dr. Lake became clinical director in 2020 and worked at the facility from 2017 until late 2023. With his back against the wall, he’s now lobbying hard for $2 million in bridge funding from the state capital to allow the facility to continue operations for another half-year.
Dr. Lake’s team is adamant that closing the clinic would leave a big hole in mental health treatment. They note that the facility already turned a small profit of $473,280 in the 2023-24 financial year and has net assets nearing $6 million. With increasing concerns over the viability of privately-run mental health facilities across Australia, Dr. Lake emphasizes the urgent need for intervention.
The Call for Funding
Dr. Lake and his team have urged the state government to restore around $2 million in short-term funding. This financial support is critical for keeping the doors open while they work on a long term vision that would keep clinic operating and serving the community.
“The amount of money we’re asking for is not very much. It’s really a reinstatement of that support from the government, which was a fee-for-service arrangement,” said Dr. Lake.
He believes that with proper funding and management changes, there is potential for Hobart Clinic to continue providing essential mental health services. He mentioned the deeply committed nursing professionals at the Hobart Clinic. They demonstrate relentless dedication to their patients, despite the many hurdles their facility has been going through.
“There’s an excellent stable of nursing staff at the Hobart Clinic — some of the best psychiatric nurses I’ve ever worked with — that are committed to providing care to their patients,” Dr. Lake stated.
Dr. Michael Lumsden-Steel, the Tasmanian President of the Australian Medical Association, urges that the status quo be seen for what it is—not normal. He calls on state governments and the federal government to pass a “rescue funding” package. He underscored that unless the Administration acts, patients’ lives will be in danger.
“I’m concerned that patients are going to die from a lack of services. We do not have the capacity in the public system to absorb this. We need action now,” Dr. Lumsden-Steel warned.
Implications of Closure
The anticipated closure of Hobart Clinic raises alarm bells about access to mental health care in Tasmania. As we discussed with Dr. Lumsden-Steel, the public system does not currently have the capacity needed to take care of patients left in the wake of the closure.
“Right now, we need an intervention,” he added. “We need time to come up with a solution that’s clinician-led, under new management with a facility that can provide this care going forward.”
For Lake, it was especially crucial that Hobart Clinic stay open. He cautioned that if it fully shuts down, re-establishing a new service that would better serve the community’s needs would be nearly impossible.
“If the clinic fully closes it will be very difficult to get a new service up and running,” he stated.
State Treasurer Eric Abetz referred questions about the proposed funding from the State to Health Minister Bridget Archer. She has not yet committed any further funding for the Hobart Clinic.
“This is an important issue, but it is within the capable hands of the Health Minister, Bridget Archer,” Abetz remarked.
The Future of Mental Health Services
As these debates rage on, Hobart Clinic’s future seems to be coming into sharper focus. Dr Lake and Dr Lumsden-Steel are passionate about securing a sustainable alternative private psychiatric model for Tasmania. They point out that this is crucial for the Hobart Clinic’s short-term survival. It sets a material agenda for the broader mental health care landscape in Australia.
Dr. Archer has implied that there is a need to “urgently address the failing viability of privately-run mental health facilities across the country.” However, no firm commitments have been provided to fund long-term solutions for Hobart Clinic.
The clock is ticking and government leaders are increasingly aware of the heat rising on them. Yet, stakeholders are still optimistic that a solution can be reached well ahead of the disaster point. The fate of Hobart Clinic still remains in balance, but advocates are undaunted in their struggle to ensure continued funding and support.
