12. Mental Health and Addiction Services—Access and FundingDr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of HealthMental Health and Addiction Services—Access and Funding12. Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of Health: How many more New Zealanders are accessing district health board mental health and addiction services nationally now than in 2007/08 expressed as a percentage increase; and what is the corresponding percentage growth in funding for mental health and addiction services over the same time period?Hon NICKY WAGNER (Associate Minister of Health) on behalf of the Minister of Health: District health boards (DHBs) fund a wide and changing range of mental health and addiction services from the National Telehealth Service through to services into the community provided by NGOs and primary care and on to hospital-based services. Given this complex mix it is not possible to specifically quantify the percentage increase in patients accessing DHB-funded mental health and addiction services. However we do know that the demand has increased and so has the funding including an extra $224 million announced last week in the Budget.Dr David Clark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. This question was given on notice and it is actually the third time I have given a variation of this question to the Minister on notice—so over a period of weeks. I would have thought that the Government could come up with an estimate of these costs if it understood what was going on in the health service.Mr SPEAKER: It is—well I am not sure whether it is the third time—but it is certainly exactly the same question as the member asked on 2 May. Then he was given an answer that because of the complexity of the area—where there are NGOs providing help there are DHBs and there is Government help etc.—it is just impossible to do so. That is a satisfactory answer. The member can continue to ask the question time and time again if he wants but it is unlikely—when I consider the answer given now by the Minister and the Associate Minister on the Minister's behalf—that the answer is going to change.Dr David Clark: Does he think that it is acceptable that 60 percent of children under 12 in Canterbury with a mental health issue are not seen within the Government's 3-week target period—60 percent?Hon NICKY WAGNER: We are always concerned about mental health issues and we are putting the resources behind those. Of course we always want to see people treated as quickly as possible but there is a significant cross-Government programme of work occurring at the moment to address the mental health issues and addiction needs of all New Zealanders including children. What is more the funding for that has increased from $1.1 to $1.4 billion. We have increased the number of mental health nurses who are very useful to young children of course from 2800 to 3400 and we have also increased the number of psychiatrists from 290 to 450. So we expect to be able to deliver quicker closer and more convenient services.Dr David Clark: Does he think that it is acceptable that 62 percent of children under 12 in the Capital and Coast DHB area with a mental health issue are not seen within the Government's 3-week target period and that one in five is still waiting 8 weeks later?Hon NICKY WAGNER: Of course we are concerned about mental health issues. It is very interesting that the World Health Organization has recently said that mental health is one of the third-greatest diseases across the whole of the Western World. What is more we are investing in that. It is important to see the amount of investment and the programmes that are coming out of the Budget which happened just last week. That extra $100 million for a new cross-Government social investment fund—I would like to mention that. That is about early intervention for targeted audiences—things like perhaps what you are talking to. We have also got the extra $4.1 million for mental health for families particularly those involved in employment and $11.6 million—Mr SPEAKER: Bring the answer to a conclusion.Hon NICKY WAGNER: —for Corrections. But this is all about trying to target special cohorts that need more support.Dr David Clark: Does he think it is acceptable that fewer than half of the children under 12 in the Waikato DHB area with a mental health issue are actually seen within the Government's 3-week target period and that one in four is still waiting 8 weeks later?Hon NICKY WAGNER: Of course we want to see all our young people supported and their mental health issues considered. One of the things that will help that is the extra $100 million for district health boards to support local mental health initiatives. That is part of the whole Budget that goes forward. On top of that there is more money for young Māori and that is particularly important too. I would just like to reinforce that we are putting more money and more resource into mental health because we want to deliver better services to all New Zealanders.Dr David Clark: Does he think it is acceptable that just one out of five children under 12 in the Hutt Valley DHB area with a mental health issue is actually seen within the Government's 3-week target period and that over half of the children are still waiting 8 weeks later?Hon NICKY WAGNER: We are very aware that mental health issues are increasing around the whole Western World. That is why we are taking a significant increase in resource for mental health issues and are also creating a new strategy for mental health which is going through the Cabinet process as we speak. This is something all Governments around the world are dealing with and we are putting the resource behind it to make sure that we in New Zealand deal with it well.Dr David Clark: Does he think it is acceptable that across New Zealand nearly half of the children under 12 with a mental health issue are not seen within the Government's 3-week target period?Hon NICKY WAGNER: Can I repeat that the National Government is very concerned about and aware of mental health issues not only within New Zealand but also around the world. So in response we are putting in more resource more mental health nurses more psychiatrists and we are dealing with these issues as quickly and as cost-effectively and as well as we can. We want all New Zealanders whether they are young people or older people to be supported if they have mental health issues.