A mental health nurse has been sacked for expressing her view on mandatory detention and its effects on mental health.

International Health and Medical Services sacked the nurse, who had worked at a Darwin detention centre for two weeks, citing professional standard reasons but stating in a letter to the nurse that she had expressed “negative political opinions” on detention.

The move came as mental health nurses joined psychologists, psychiatrists and other industry experts to demand the Federal Government abandon the indefinite detention of asylum seekers.

It follows the release of Department of Immigration and Citizenship documents which reveal that 213 detainees were treated for self-inflicted injuries and 700 for voluntary starvation in the first six months of this year.

Department secretary Andrew Metcalfe presented the information during a Senate Inquiry into the system, which costs $772 million a year to maintain, questioning the government’s policy.

Australian College of Mental Health Nurses Adjunct Associate Professor Kim Ryan said she was outraged at the nurse’s sacking.

“The opinion this mental health nurse expressed is based on strong evidence showing that mandatory detention contributes to mental illness,” Professor Ryan said.

“Mental health nurses provide services to people in many difficult and unfortunate circumstances.

“Whether they work in a detention centre, a hospital or in the community, a mental health nurse has to look at their clients’ circumstances and consider how they impact on their mental health.

“The mandatory and indefinite detention of asylum seekers should be ceased in favour of less restrictive and more cost-effective community-based alternatives.”