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Labour reveals pre-election policy on mental health, Health Minister unimpressed

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 11 May 2017, 1:01PM
Labour leader Andrew Little (Photo / NZ Herald)
Labour leader Andrew Little (Photo / NZ Herald)

Labour reveals pre-election policy on mental health, Health Minister unimpressed

Author
Newstalk ZB Staff,
Publish Date
Thu, 11 May 2017, 1:01PM

The Labour Party is pledging to spend an average of just over $500 a head on a new initiative aimed at improving the country's mental health system.

The policy has been unveiled as the party has held a mental health summit at Parliament today.

Leader Andrew Little is promising the creation of a pilot scheme to run specialist mental health teams at eight sites around the country if his party wins the election.

Mr Little said they would provide better and quicker treatment for those in need.

"You go to your GOP and if it is a mental health issue, that consultation with the GP will be free, and the GP will immediately refer you to a mental health coordinator and you'll the get a decision about do you need counselling, do you need something more serious, do you need to see a psychiatrist."

The teams would be expected to help nearly 40,000 people each year at a cost of $43 million over the course of the two-year initiative.

Mr Little said not everyone needs the most intensive care.

"The more serious and acute treatment, that will continue to be funded separately from the existing health services and health budget, but this is just preliminary getting access, getting an assessment, being directed to the right place to go, and some of those preliminary costs met."

However, the Health Minister is unimpressed with Labour's mental health policy, saying it's already being done.

"Five years ago 60 percent of non-acute young people were being seen within three weeks, that's now 70 percent," Jonathan Coleman said.

"But we've gotta do more and continue to raise performance and that's what I'm focused on."

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