The cuts are a “death sentence” for suicidal patients, said Dr. Mary Fernando, echoing the concern among the province’s psychiatrists and GP-psychotherapists. Contact your MPPs, tell them #kidscantwait — Dr Javeed Sukhera (@javeedsukhera) February 7, 2019But the proposed cuts could also push so-called “boutique psychiatrists” to spread out their services. They are less likely to see poor patients, recent immigrants, or patients who have been recently hospitalized for severe psychiatric illness. A study published in the Canadian Journal of Psychiatry in February found that about one third of Ontario psychiatrists accept fewer than two new patients per month. “If the government doesn’t fund other human resources for those individuals, where will they go?”To address concerns about boutique psychiatrists, Sukhera would like to see a move towards measurement-based care.

Source: National Post April 23, 2019 16:18 UTC