Are you a trauma survivor in New South Wales seeking specialized mental health care? Recent changes at Ramsay Clinic Thirroul, a facility previously known for its trauma-focused services, are raising concerns about the availability of this crucial support. This article explores the shift from trauma-specific care to general women’s psychiatric services, highlighting the potential impact on patients and the implications for mental health services in the region.
Trauma Care shift at NSW Clinic Sparks Concern
Sydney, Australia – A New South Wales (NSW) mental health facility, formerly known for its specialized trauma care, has transitioned into a general women’s psychiatric unit, raising questions about the availability of specialized services for trauma survivors in the region. The facility, operated by Ramsay Health Care Australia, the nation’s largest private hospital operator, has altered its focus, now emphasizing a broader range of women’s mental health services
on its website.
Key Developments:
Facility Transition: Ramsay Clinic Thirroul, onc dedicated to trauma patients, now operates as a general female-only psychiatric unit.
Public-Private Partnership: Like many Ramsay facilities, it maintains a public-private contract with NSW Health, admitting public patients who lack access to public beds.
psychiatrist Resignations: This shift occurs amid mass resignations of NSW public-sector psychiatrists,prompting the state government to request Ramsay facilities to accommodate public mental health patients.
Patient Experiences Highlight Concerns
Olivia, a patient who sought treatment for PTSD stemming from childhood trauma, experienced a stark contrast between her two admissions to the facility.
Initial Positive Experience: During her first stay in March 2024, Olivia found the treatment very helpful
and felt she gained a lot out of it.
Subsequent Negative Experience: upon returning in February for the second stage of her program, she felt struggling more than I did before I was admitted.
Exposure to Detox Patients: Olivia was unaware that the clinic had begun admitting women detoxing from drugs and alcohol, which triggered her PTSD. For those such as myself whom have PTSD surrounding drugs and alcohol from childhood trauma,this makes this a place that doesn’t fit my needs of feeling safe and less vulnerable [while] having treatment,
she explained.
Triggering Incident: During her stay, Olivia reported being majorly triggered and abused
by a patient detoxing from substances.
Discharge Incident: On her discharge day, another patient demanded to speak with a nurse privately, referring to Olivia as that.
This incident triggered emotional flashbacks and lack of safety from the abuse my brother implemented on me in my younger years,
leading her to flee towards the train station.
Ramsay Health Care stated they were not previously aware of Olivia’s concerns but take them seriously and would welcome the chance to speak directly to her.
Olivia expressed understanding for the need to support women detoxing from substances but questioned whether she would seek help from the clinic again after her recent experience.Expert Perspectives and Government Response
A psychiatrist and another staff member who resigned from Ramsay Clinic Thirroul revealed that the original psychiatrists and the entire team that developed the program have since left. Reportedly, over half of recently admitted patients were under a drug and alcohol specialist, while trauma specialists had either departed or planned to leave.
Rose Jackson, the NSW mental health minister, acknowledged that Ramsay Clinic Thirroul was no longer providing specialized trauma care and had reverted to a general women’s mental health facility. She clarified that this decision was not made by NSW Health, as it is indeed a private facility.
I have received correspondence and representations in relation to not just the fact of that very specialised care not being available for those women any more, which does concern me, but also some broader issues relating to the change that has occurred there,Jackson said.
dr. Amanda Cohn, the NSW Greens’ spokesperson for mental health, told parliament that the change leaves NSW without a specialist inpatient trauma service for survivors of family violence and sexual assault, describing it as an urgent, ongoing need.
One of the most vital components of trauma‑sensitive or trauma-informed mental health care is continuity of care. It is reliability, predictability and a long-term relationship so that people do not have fragmented care,Cohn said, emphasizing the increasing fragmentation of mental health care in the state.
Workforce Shortages and Public-Private Partnerships
NSW’s public sector faces a longstanding shortage of psychiatrists, with a vacancy rate exceeding one-third of permanent staff specialist positions. The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) NSW branch alerted the state government to the workforce crisis in October 2023, citing issues in recruitment, training, and retention.After unsuccessful negotiations with the government, public sector psychiatrists began resigning en masse in January, with the dispute currently under arbitration in the NSW industrial relations court.Prior to the resignations, Ramsay Health Care Australia advocated for utilizing their available private hospital beds to address unmet public demand.
RHCA [Ramsay Health Care Australia] encourages governments to partner with the private system to support delivering essential services given the private system has the capital and workforce to address government dilemmas, such as mental health and elective surgery demands,wrote the chief policy officer for Ramsay in a submission to the NSW special commission of inquiry into healthcare funding in October 2023.
The Illawarra Shoalhaven local health district confirmed a longstanding agreement with Ramsay Clinic to support non-acute mental health services if needed, though they have not yet been required.
Dr. Pramudie Gunaratne, the NSW chair of RANZCP, noted workforce shortages in private hospitals, limiting their ability to take on additional patients.
These public-private partnerships are not only incredibly expensive for the taxpayer, they are also unsustainable given the current workforce issues and we have serious safety concerns for patients and staff as these facilities are generally not equipped with the infrastructure and staffing to care for patients with high acuity needs,dr. Gunaratne stated.
Ramsay’s Response
A Ramsay Health Care spokesperson stated:
Ramsay Clinic Thirroul is a women-only mental health facility specializing in trauma-informed care. Since opening more than two years ago, the clinic has supported women with complex PTSD, ofen alongside other mental health or physical health conditions.
Ramsay Clinic Thirroul remains committed to providing high-quality, personalised care in a safe, respectful environment for women experiencing trauma.
Name changed to protect anonymity*
