11. Question No. 11—HealthMATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 11—Health11. MATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri) to the Minister of Health: What is his response to a study published in the International Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health which shows attempted suicides in New Zealand children aged 10-14 years increased from a baseline of 40 per month to a peak of 90 per month following the lockdowns in 2020 and what actions if any has he taken to address this increase?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): In response to the first part of the member's question I'm advised that the item in the paediatric journal was not a peer-reviewed article; it was a letter to the editor. It included data gathered by the authors. It is not possible for the authors of the study to establish or claim a causal link from the data presented. They are describing a potential association that has not been proven. As the member will be aware there are a range of factors that contribute to self-harm and suicidal behaviours. I would also highlight that last year the Chief Coroner was sufficiently concerned by the misreporting of the effects of level 4 lockdown on suicide prevalence that she issued provisional results early during the last lockdown. These showed that in fact the incidence of suicide had reduced. In response to the second part of the member's question we've learnt from previous lockdowns that they are particularly challenging for young people. That is why we boosted funding to Youthline by $275000 at the beginning of the most recent lockdown. This was made alongside other investments in the youth mental wellbeing space including the $1.4 million Youth Mental Wellbeing Fund targeted specifically at grassroots community-led initiatives supporting young people through stress arising from the current COVID-19 Delta response and targeted suicide prevention support for Māori and Pacific communities.Matt Doocey: Is the Minister saying that he disagrees with the Ministry of Health data that the baseline levels of attempted suicide for 10- to 14-year-olds increased after the lockdowns last year?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: No I am not disagreeing with the Ministry of Health data; I am disagreeing with the conclusion that some people wrote in a letter to the editor drawing a thesis that has not so far been proven. Also what I find disagreeable is that member's attempt to use as a political football suicide and suicide prevention measures.Matt Doocey: In light of the acknowledged Ministry of Health data that shows increased attempted suicide rates after the last lockdown what actions has the Minister taken to prevent even more suicide attempts amongst that age cohort after the current lockdown?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I want to return to the question about data because what the letter to the editor—the authors of it—did not draw attention to was the established trend in previous multi-year data that shows an increase in presentations to hospitals of people who have attempted suicide. There is what clinicians describe as a seasonal increase that appears every year. There is no reference in the letter to the editor to that incidence. On the point the member raises about additional support that has been given I refer the member to my answer to his primary question. Significant additional support has been given to those organisations supporting young people who are finding this lockdown particularly tough.Matt Doocey: With that significant support how has that translated to new services on the ground that will address the increase in attempted suicides for 10- to 14-year-olds as evidenced by the Ministry of Health data?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I point out to the member again because I don't want to get into some ugly debate about the incidence of suicide and I draw the member's attention once again to what the data shows on a year-by-year basis: a seasonal increase in presentations to hospitals of people who have attempted suicide. The authors of the letter to the editor have taken data for a single year and drawn a conclusion that so far cannot be established or proven. The measures that have been taken by this Government as a consequence of the most recent lockdown in terms of additional funding has allowed those organisations to put on additional staff and provide additional services for an increased period of time for those communities particularly youth communities who have found this lockdown particularly hard.Matt Doocey: In light of published research studies overseas which point to an increased rate of self-harm and eating disorders amongst young people what steps has the Minister taken to ensure services are available if that increase was to appear in New Zealand?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: Well what we didn't do was what the previous Government did and that is neglect mental health services as a general rule. We have put considerable additional investment into our mental health services including responding to exigencies such as the lockdowns in 2020 and in 2021. We put additional funding in provided additional services and additional support. We did it last year. We have done it this year.