Australian of the Year to address Charitable Foundation
Australian of the Year and leading mental health expert, Professor Patrick McGorry will address mental health reform at the AMA (NSW) Charitable Foundation Gala dinner tonight.
AMA (NSW) President, Dr Michael Steiner, said Professor McGorry had been influential in the battle to focus mainstream political attention on mental health.
“We are delighted Professor McGorry will join us tonight to talk about the need for urgent and sustained action in the mental health area,” he said.
“Over the last 12 months the AMA has been pushing hard for improvements to the mental health system and to have a passionate advocate like Professor McGorry so prominent in the national debate has been hugely beneficial.”
During the current federal election campaign both major parties have made significant new policy commitments in terms of mental health.
However Dr Steiner said the need for major reform in the area of mental health services is still high, with the current system unsustainable and desperately in need of greater funding.
“For too long now Australians of all ages have struggled to access the mental health services they need,” he said.
“The AMA believes that the core objective of mental health should be to ensure reliable and ready access to quality care based on need.”
The Charitable Foundation was established in 1995 to harness the good will of the medical profession to assist projects that promote health and wellbeing. Since then, the Foundation has raised over $1 million for organisations such as the Sydney Cochlear Implant Centre and Vision Australia.
The 2010 Gala Dinner will be held on 4 August at NSW Parliament House, Sydney.
Media Contact: Tanzeem Parkar (02) 9439 8822/0409 402 522
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