Jacinda Ardern

Youth Affairs Spokesperson

26 November 2010

Media Statement

Loss of youth health service shows Government’s priorities

The announcement that Christchurch-based 198 youth health service is essentially shutting its doors is further proof that this Government places no value on the health and wellbeing of young New Zealanders, says Labour’s Youth Affairs spokesperson Jacinda Ardern.

“198 is one of the country’s longest standing youth health service providers, with about 4000 young people on its books at one point. But its ability to look after the young people of Christchurch has been gradually ground down by this Government to the point where it has announced it will essentially cease to operate.

“Late last year, Health Minister Tony Ryall stated that 198 would work purely on a capitation basis in order to free up funding for ‘frontline services’. Since then, the centre has been struggling to cover the cost of providing adequate services to 1300 enrolled young people and has been forced to deliver reduced services from two separate sites.

“Now 198 has announced that despite implementing a small fee for patients, they can no longer sustain their service as capitation funding does not cover the costs.

“The loss of services like 198 comes despite the findings of a Ministry of Health report stating: ‘Youth Health one stop shops provide an incredibly important service in our communities and cater for health needs of some of our most vulnerable young people’.

“New Zealand has some of the highest teen pregnancy and STI rates in the OECD, and with an increasing need for youth mental health, drug and alcohol services. It is shocking to me that the Government continues to ignore research supporting Youth Health Centres and other youth focused services.

“Instead, it has left successful services like 198 to collapse or struggle with inconsistent levels of funding and support.”

ENDS

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