Sydney’s RPA Hospital Closes HIV Psychiatry Clinic Amid Staff Exodus
Image: Image: slhd.health.nsw.gov.au
The Royal Prince Alfred (RPA) Hospital in Sydney has closed its HIV psychiatry clinic following the resignation of psychiatrists, leaving approximately 200 patients without dedicated mental health support.
The closure is part of a broader loss of specialist psychiatric services, including those for pain management and eating disorder care.
Minutes from a February 10 medical staff council meeting, seen by The Guardian, confirm the clinic’s closure.
Former RPA psychiatrist Dr Suzanna Goodison revealed that some patients discharged from the HIV clinic have since required acute mental health intervention.
Others have been referred to general practitioners, losing access to the specialised care necessary for managing HIV-related mental health challenges.
“HIV places greater challenges on the treatment of mental health conditions,” Goodison said. “As a group, they’re not only more at risk because of the psychosocial factors of being a marginalised community, but the virus itself creates cognitive changes.”
Concerns from the HIV Community
John Rule, director of research at the National Association of People with HIV Australia, stressed the significance of the loss. “People living with HIV have higher rates of anxiety, depression, and PTSD,” he said.
“The loss of any services would be a very big loss for this population group. There was already a shortage of available support.”
Wider Psychiatric Service Gaps
The psychiatrist resignations have also impacted other vulnerable patients. The meeting documents highlight a lack of psychiatric care for eating disorder inpatients and outpatients, with significant consequences for those requiring concurrent medical and mental health treatment.
The hospital has also lost psychiatric support for its pain clinic, where mental health plays a crucial role in patient outcomes. “Depression is highly prevalent in people with chronic pain, and it significantly impacts recovery, quality of life, and engagement with treatment,” Goodison said.
Sydney Local Health District stated that patient care remains a priority and that locum psychiatrists have been hired to manage demand. “We are continuing to recruit to fill vacant positions,” a spokesperson said.
“Our services remain available at any time for those in need.”
Meanwhile, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Federation (Asmof) is advocating for a 25% pay increase to stem the exodus of psychiatrists from the public system.
Arbitration between Asmof and NSW Health is set to resume before the NSW Industrial Relations Commission on Friday.
