Reported in Herald Sun by Tanya Giles 22/2/04.

A Shortage of beds for people suffering mental illnesses is costing lives, a senior emergency department doctor warns in a leaked letter to the State Government.

Maroondah Hospital emergency services director Dr Peter Archer's Letter says emergency departments have become "defacto holding bays" for mental health patients because of a lack of beds in psychiatric clinics hospitals.

"Consequently we are asked to care for and restrain these patients in facilities never designed for that purpose," he says in the letter.

Dr Archer detailed how 13 people from Maroondah Psychiatric Service had taken their lives in the past 13 months.

One patient took his life this week after he was held in the emergency department for 14 hours and then escaped, he says.

Dr Archer says up to 40 percent of emergency trolleys were taken up by people suffering mental problems over weekends.

"Other patients including the children and the elderly, at the times they are least likely to cope , have to face the constant presence of many aggressive and behaviourally disturbed mental health patients, "the letter says. In the letter, addressed to Health Minister Bronwyn Pike and to be forwarded to Premier Steve Bracks, Dr Archer says staff are also being threatened assaulted and verbally abused.

Opposition health spokesman David Davis said the Bracks Government's mismanagement of the health system was severely affecting emergency departments, and called on Ms Pike to intervene immediately.

A spokesman for Ms Pike Ben Hart said yesterday a new emergency department, which included a designated area for psychiatric patients, was to be opened at Maroondah Hospital next week. A new designated psychiatric area would also be opened at the Angliss Hospital this year.

A further 25 beds for psychiatric patient's would be provided at the new Casey Hospital and eight more at Box Hill Hospital he said.

Mr Hart said hospitals all around Australia had been put under pressure from the increasing needs of people suffering mental illnesses, and the Government was working to address the problem.

Reported in Herald Sun by Tanya Giles 22/2/04.