29 August 2003
Press release
Summit shows shared vision for mental health services
The future for mental health is optimistic if plans unveiled by the Government yesterday, are carried through.
The plans were explained yesterday at a Mental Health Summit held in Waitakere City. Guest speakers included Health
Minister Annette King, the Deputy Director-General of Mental Health, Janice Wilson, Mental Health Commission Chair, Jan
Dowland and the Regional Director of Mental Health, Derek Wright.
The summit, hosted by Waitakere Shared Vision – representing mental health interests in the area – and Waitakere City
Council and attended by more than 80 people was designed to establish whether there is in fact a “shared vision” for the
future provision of mental health services in Waitakere City.
Minister King said the government is committed to providing additional resources to mental health funding and underlined
the importance of primary health care in future mental health services.
She quoted the World Health Organisation as saying that the burden of psychiatric conditions, particularly depression,
has been heavily underestimated across the world.
Afterwards, Waitakere Shared Vision spokeswoman, Elaine Underwood, said that the summit proved that there is indeed a
local, regional and national ‘shared vision’ for mental health.
”It became clear today that there is awareness, at both national and regional levels, of the un-met gaps in services and
the challenges that still exist,” she said.
“We are confident that the changes being introduced will result in a quality, comprehensive mental health service in
Waitakere in the future.”
Waitakere City Councillor Penny Hulse, who facilitated the meeting, says it was useful to have decision-makers from all
levels in one room to listen to community concerns and hopes the outcome will mean improved mental health service
delivery in Waitakere.
“We have made it clear to the Minister that equitable funding for the Auckland District health boards is absolutely
crucial and we hope she has taken this on board, “ she says.
“Accurately predicting future mental health needs is also vital to defining what constitutes adequate resources.
“Twenty percent of people, at some point in their life, are going to need some sort of mental health support but, at
present, we are only funded to cover 3% of the population nationwide. That is clearly already not enough. When you take
into account the likely effect of methamphetamine (or ‘P’), for example, that 20% is only going to grow.”
A wide variety of mental health issues were raised at the summit, some of which included how the development of more
regional health services will impact on local groups established to have input into mental health planning, the need for
equitable funding of all health boards in the Auckland region, resource allocation for improved collaboration among all
providers, future mental health needs for an ageing population and the effects of increasing methamphetamine use on
mental health services.
Cr Hulse paid tribute to Waitakere Shared Vision saying it was held in high regard by the Ministry and will continue to
play an important role as a mental health advocate in the City.
Ends