The South Australian health department has been referred to the Australian Human Rights Commissioner over the treatment of mentally ill patients in the state.
The referral was filed by the Australian Salaried Medical Officers Association and claims mental health patients are treated as second class citizens due to long waiting times in the SA emergency departments.
"We've never been required to take action like this but the situation has become quite dire," SASMOA senior industrial officer Bernadette Mulhollond told ABC News.
The group, which represents the industrial and workplace interests of salaried doctors, says it took action at the request of its members.
The complaint says mental health patients, who can wait up to five days for treatment, are subjected to "discriminatory, unacceptable and cruel" practices, according to the ABC.
