Alan Cowan's frustrations with the public health referral system for mental health patients has not fallen on deaf ears.

The eighty year old retired G-P will meet with the head of ACT's Mental Health Unit this week after labelling their system "a bad joke."

" I'm not just doing this to make trouble I really am concerned, i think it is important to realise the problem.," he said.

It comes after the medical veteran revealed in all his forty-two years he's never been able to refer patients directly to Canberra Hospital psychologists.Instead he has to plead with their family to take them to the emergency ward, even then they aren't assured medical attention.

His claims follow complaints by mental health workers of persistent difficulties in getting through to the twenty-four hour Mental Health Crisis helpline.The A-C-T Opposition have called for a parliamentary inquiry, however the Health Minister says one is not needed, but they will investigate.