Bradford Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Bradford Sue: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:609;Page:6476] 
9.  
SUE BRADFORD (Green) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: What steps is she taking to ensure people with mental illness are adequately cared for in the Waitemata District Health Board district? 
Hon ANNETTE KING (Minister of Health) 
: 
 Considerable steps have been taken. One of the issues constantly raised in this House however is the lack of resources in terms of funding. I have made available an extra $12.4 million of mental health funding for the Waitemata District Health Board in this financial year alone and a further increase of $10 million is planned for 2003-04. 
Sue Bradford 
: Is the Minister confident that the 2 percent pay offer currently on the table for psychiatric nurses and counsellors employed at Waitemata District Health Board is sufficient to attract enough quality staff to fill the many vacancies currently existing in the Waitemata area? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The issue of salary negotiations is a matter for the district health board. However I have been informed today that agreement has been reached with the Public Service Association on the pay increase and it now goes out for ratification. 
Dianne Yates 
: Has she been advised of any further staff increases for Waitemata District Health Board mental health services? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: Yes I have been advised that 20 fulltime-equivalent extra nurses and therapists will be recruited as from 1 July. 
Dr Lynda Scott 
: Why has the Waitemata District Health Board which has the forensic psychiatric contract for all of Auckland had crisis after mental health crisis which has forced the police to act in an illegal manner in detaining patients as prisoners and when will she as Minister of Health stop passing the buck and adequately resource Auckland’s crumbling mental health system and make sure that outcomes are delivered? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: I agree with the member. I do want outcomes delivered. That is why we have committed the resources to ensure that the district health board can get on with the job. I am expecting it to do just that—get on with the job. 
Sue Bradford 
: Why were the 20 extra packages of care allocated to the Waitemata District Health Board as a result of the Auckland review given to community care rather than to acute units when the review itself pointed to the ongoing crisis in availability of acute beds in the region? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: The member is in fact incorrect. The packages of care in the Waitemata District Health Board are as follows: three additional intensive-care beds; five respite-care beds as of yesterday; and a suitable house for six step-down beds in the community and the board has agreed to an additional two intensive-care beds for North Shore. 
Sue Bradford 
: Given that the situation in the Waitemata area continues to deteriorate despite the additional funding and beds that the Minister has referred to will the Government consider increasing funding and taking steps alongside that to ensure that what funds there are are managed in a way that ensures adequate health and accommodation for all acutely mentally ill people in the region and those recovering from mental illness? 
Hon ANNETTE KING 
: My first interest is that all the money I provide is spent. What I think does help the Auckland region are the recommendations from the Mental Health Commission to have one regional organisation to coordinate and fund our mental health services in that area and as of this week Derek Wright the new director starts work.