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AAP
AAP
Health
Allanah Sciberras

Mental health crisis unfolding in ED departments

People requiring urgent mental health care are spending long waiting times in emergency departments. (Dean Lewins/AAP PHOTOS)

A lack of funding and workforce shortages are adding immense pressure on public hospitals, leading to record numbers of mental health presentations in emergency departments.

Patients requiring urgent mental health care are spending an average of seven hours waiting in public emergency departments, according to the Australian Medical Association's annual report released on Thursday.

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