Mental Health Targets Missing

Media Release

Monday 13 July, 2009

For immediate release

Attention: Health Reporters

Mental Health Targets Missing

The New Zealand Psychological Society is very concerned that mental health appears to have fallen off the Government’s health agenda. The six new health targets which came into effect from 1 July make no mention of mental health.

President of the Society, Jack Austin said today that exactly a year ago, the Ministry of Health recognized that in any one given 12 month period, over one third of adults seeing a primary care professional were likely to have a mental health problem. The Ministry noted that it was likely that many of these
problems are not immediately recognized and that this was especially an issue for Maori, Pacific and Asian peoples. The Ministry also noted that delay in diagnosis and appropriate treatment could lead to a much longer period of recovery.

Mr Austin said that it is well established that mental health problems interact with physical health problems, each contributing to the other. Patients with mental health issues, especially those that are undiagnosed or under-treated, are more likely to seek health care, more likely to present with multiple problems, and less likely to adhere to treatment. Undiagnosed and untreated mental health problems contribute enormously to the burden of disease suffered by the community and to the costs of the health system, and should be high on any responsible Government’s list of health priorities.

Mr Austin said that whilst mental illness may be less visible than some of the health issues targeted by the Government, the consequences for individuals and for the community are very real indeed and need a committed Government to address them.

The Society calls on the Government to put mental health back on the radar by identifying mental health targets and wrapping policies, and funding around them.

Ends

Background to the New Zealand Psychological Society
The New Zealand Psychological Society is the largest professional association for psychologists in New Zealand. It has over 1000 members and subscribers and aims to improve individual and community wellbeing by representing, promoting and advancing the scientific discipline and practice of psychology. See www.psychology.org.nz. for more information about the Society.

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