The NSW government and the planned public psychiatrist exodus, explained

A dispute between the NSW government and psychiatrists working in the public sector could see over two-thirds walk off the job next week. (ABC News )

The NSW health system is approaching a crisis point, with more than two-thirds of its staff specialist psychiatrists threatening to resign on January 21.

The looming action centres on a pay dispute between the NSW government and the union representing doctors in the state, the Australian Salaried Medical Officers' Federation (ASMOF).

The industry is already grappling with a workforce shortage, as a further 29 per cent of staff specialist psychiatry positions are vacant, according to Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) figures.

The planned resignation stems from a dispute between psychiatrists in the NSW public hospital sector and the state government over pay and working conditions.

Currently, the NSW government is offering those psychiatrists a wage increase of 10.5 per cent over three years, equating to 3.5 per cent a year.

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