An Evandale mother has started a petition to bring awareness to the lack of support she experienced in the weeks following the birth of her second child.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Kristie Davidson had a rough pregnancy and suffered with sickness, hypertension, high blood pressure, dehydration, and tested positive for a gene that could cause heart abnormalities in the baby.
She was in the Launceston General Hospital for 10 days after delivering Georgia, now 4 months old, and with COVID-19 restrictions, she felt isolated.
Ms Davidson was diagnosed with Postpartum Depression in early September, of which one in five women are diagnosed with in Australia.
Under her GP's advice, Ms Davidson said she contacted three private psychiatrists, the LGH, two PPD counselling services and a Telehealth organisation specialising in PPD. Five weeks later Ms Davidson was still waiting for an appointment or to be contacted by any of the services, so she started a petition.
"It was hard for me to go to my GP and say I needed help, and then all those phone calls went nowhere," she said.
Ms Davidson said the LGH website showed a counselling service which, after calling the hospital, she found had closed three years ago.
A 24/7 crisis line she tried was disconnected. After going back to her GP, she was referred to a 1800 Hotline who laughed at her and said there was no public counselling in the state for PPD. Ms Davidson was then referred to Telehealth and had no responses to her calls.
"From dozens of phone calls to multiple different services, the main issue that has been expressed to me from several health care professionals is the total absence of mental health care in our state," Ms Davidson wrote in her petition.
"In large part, this is due to a massive lack of funding and major lack of staff across all health care branches, but particular the mental health sector.
"The lack of support in our state for PPD is appalling and simply not good enough."
After contacting Mental Health and Wellbeing Minister Jeremy Rockliff about the services on September 17 and not hearing back, Ms Davidson contacted her local MP, Brian Mitchell.
Mr Mitchell said in a letter back to Ms Davidson it was "appalling" she could not access the services she required and he was "upset" to learn of the situation she was in. Mr Mitchell, on behalf of Ms Davidson, contacted Mr Rockliff on October 4.
"While it is not unusual for busy ministerial offices to not respond to correspondence within three weeks I must point out the urgent nature of this correspondence," he said.
"I implore you to take five minutes to ensure that Mrs Davidson's concerns are heeded and that she does not become another tragic statistic."
Mr Rockliff was contacted by The Examiner in regards to the situation, but was unable to comment on the specific case.
"In the North and North-West, the Perinatal and Infant Mental Health service is provided by a clinician in each region. These clinicians are based within the Adult Community Mental Health teams," he said.
"Importantly, as part of the government's response to the CAMHS review, the North and North-West Perinatal service is to be expanded.
"The Tasmanian Government has also recently invested $8000 towards the Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia national support line."
Mr Rockliff said considerations about other services was being undertaken.
READ MORE: Police investigate house fire in Ravenswood
Ms Davidson received a reply from Mr Rockliff, dated October 15, in which the minister said he was "saddened" to read of her challenges, and provided Ms Davidson with information of support services.
"I am sorry that accessing the care that you have required during this time has not been easy. I sincerely apologise for the significant delay in responding to you," he said.
However, Ms Davidson said the hotline provided by Mr Rockliff was one she had previously contacted and left messages with, but had not heard back from.
"Six weeks and countless calls, petition and Facebook posts to get to this point, it's just not good enough," she said.
Ms Davidson said since the petition, a private counsellor had reached out to help her.
"It's disappointing it has taken this long and this much effort for a basic human right," she said.
The Department of Health was contacted for comment.
To view the petition visit chng.it/QpYyxqTq.
What do you think? Send us a letter to the editor: