Mind the gap: fair access to mental health care
October 6, 2025
New research from Anglicare Tasmania reveals a mental health system that is fragmented, under-resourced and failing people who have multiple and complex needs.
This Mental Health Week, Anglicare is urging governments to do more to ensure Tasmanians can access the mental health supports they need, when they need them. Drawing on information from Anglicare’s frontline services, the report highlights some of the current gaps and barriers, especially in the North of the state.
“One in every two Tasmanians aged 16-85 reports experiencing a mental health condition at some time in their life – the highest prevalence in Australia,” says Ginny Toombs from Anglicare’s Social Action and Research Centre.
“The Mind the gap report shows that Tasmania’s mental health system is not well-designed to support people facing other disadvantages, such as an inadequate income, housing insecurity and homelessness, social isolation, poor physical health and problems arising from the use of alcohol and other drugs (AOD).
“Many people are having trouble accessing and affording visits to GPs, psychologists and psychiatrists. There are also service barriers for people with co-occurring mental health conditions and AOD use,” she said.
Ginny said improving access to psychosocial support outside the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) would help prevent people tipping into crisis. “Supporting people’s mental health in the community would help to minimise admissions to hospital,” she said.
Work underway to better integrate Tasmania’s mental health system, including improvements at the Launceston General Hospital (LGH) is welcome: “It’s vital that the LGH Mental Health Precinct goes ahead and that the hospital’s emergency department is re-designed to better respond to people presenting with acute psychological distress,” said Ginny.
The report recommends that governments:
- expand affordable mental health care by offering more GP bulk-billing appointments and bulk-billed psychology and psychiatry services;
- address unmet need for psychosocial supports outside the NDIS;
- improve integration with other services, including AOD and housing;
- increase investment in transitional and long term supported accommodation suitable for people with mental health conditions;
- scale up investment in long-term social housing;
- increase income support payments above the Henderson Poverty Line; and
- deliver a Tasmanian mental health workforce strategy.
Ginny said:
It’s vital that Tasmanians can access support that is timely, affordable, holistic and compassionate – we must fit services to people, not fit people into services.
The Mental Health Council of Tasmania endorses the Mind the gap report: “It’s essential that more Tasmanians have better access to psychosocial supports so that they stay out of crisis,” said CEO Dan Vautin.
Further reading and information:
Anglicare has provided the Mind the gap policy brief to decision-makers in State and Federal government. The full Mind the gap report includes the stories of Anglicare clients who live in Northern Tasmania. We have de-identified them to protect their privacy.
Download the policy brief and the full report (including a Word version) here.
Find out more about Anglicare’s:
Social Action and Research Centre (SARC)
