Professor Patrick McGorry named Australian of the Year.

Orygen Youth Health is proud to announce that Professor Patrick McGorry, has been named Australian of the Year.

On behalf of the Board and all the staff at OYH we would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Professor McGorry on his achievement and thank him for lifting the profile of youth mental health to the highest level.

Those who know him and work with him are not surprised. He has been a tireless campaigner for the mentally ill for more than 30 years and his work – both clinical and research- has changed the way that mental illness, in particular in young people, is treated around the world.

Accepting his award at Parliament House on Australia Day eve, Professor McGorry said that it was a tremendous honour, not least because there are so many other Australians who are equally or better qualified, including this year’s nominees.

“A psychiatrist as Australian of the Year – this is a new form of climate change,!” he said.

“ It reflects the growing recognition that good mental health is of at least equal importance to good physical health. The large group of Australians affected by mental ill-health – up to half of us – is awakening and deserves a much better deal. Mental ill health typically affects young people in the critical years of the life cycle. It shortens and blights lives. This is mostly avoidable. However our systems are weakest where they need to be strongest.”

“Australia deserves a modern and mature system of mental health care. Mental health reform is a team game and I am just one player. Our team needs more recruits, we need a level playing field in the health sector, and we need the Australian public and our governments to back the team. Thanks to a new openness and Australian innovation, I believe we are at the tipping point for a great leap forward. I want to dedicate this award to all of you who suffer or will suffer poor mental health and ask for your deep commitment to help change the landscape of mental health care in Australia.

“I want also to express my heartfelt thanks to my wife, Merilyn, my sons and other family, and my dedicated and courageous colleagues, friends and supporters – especially the true believers in the mental health field.”

On behalf of the thousands of people whose lives have been changed as a result of his care and dedication we applaud his victory and thank him for his continued commitment to the mental health sector.