5. Question No. 5—HealthMATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 5—Health5. MATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri) to the Minister of Health: Why did he reject my call to urgently convene a young people's mental health summit in response to early signs of increased mental distress as a result of the pandemic and what does he say to student Jiya Rana who said in response to my call It was actually good to feel acknowledged. It was the first time I felt it had been really addressed in this pandemic and it felt spot on with the conversations I'd been having with my peers"?Hon ANDREW LITTLE (Minister of Health): I received a letter from that member on 25 January this year at 1.55 p.m. suggesting a summit on youth mental health. At approximately 2.30 p.m. on the same day my office started receiving queries from journalists asking what my response was to the member's letter. I have not before received a letter with a proposal for a course of action which has been so swiftly followed up by media queries. I drew the conclusion that the member's so-called call was a political stunt and not a serious request. To Jiya Rana I say that this Government inherited a mental health system in crisis because of the years of neglect by that member's party when it was in Government. This Government on the other hand has made the single biggest investment in mental health with its $1.9 billion four-year programme of improvement. This has seen more than 850 front-line roles added to our mental health system in particular addressing the needs of those with mild to moderate mental health issues. This includes funding 103 youth-specific roles within the primary and community sector. Specifically in relation to the pandemic amongst other things we have funded the following for young people: a $5.6 million funding package that provided extra resources to the Auckland district health boards for mental health and addiction services; funding for the Mental Health Foundation's targeted mental health promotion campaign; and enhanced peer support through telehealth services. Also we've provided $2.5 million of grants to support 36 grassroots community-based youth and kaupapa Māori initiatives that are working with children and young people most affected by COVID-19 and invested in more than 20 community-led projects through the $1.4 million youth mental wellbeing fund. This is a Government that takes mental health seriously especially the mental health of our young people. The member's suggested summit was an act of political cynicism.Matt Doocey: Does he agree with recent research from the University of Auckland which confirms a pandemic-related increase in demand for eating disorder services for young people and if so what is his plan to ensure young people with eating disorders and their families get the timely support they need?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: The health system has been well across the further impact that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused on young people and their families and I've outlined the additional support given in relation to eating disorders. The DHBs and the Ministry of Health are well aware of the pressure being put on the system largely because of a shortage of specialists because the system was so badly run down in the last few years. This is a Government that is investing more and more in our mental health services both at the mild to moderate end and at the acute end to pick up and recover from the catastrophe left by the previous Government.Matt Doocey: Does he accept recent St John Ambulance data which showed a disturbing trend of a 36 percent increase in mental health and suicide attempt call-outs in under-14-year-olds a 77 percent increase in the last two years of the pandemic and if so what is his plan to reduce the number of suicide attempt call-outs in under-14s that our emergency services respond to?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: I just caution that member to be very careful about the data that he has referred to. So when the St John data that was released referred to mental health call-outs and attempted suicides—those two things are not the same thing. There are people who can be anxious and distressed and depressed who are not suicidal. There has been an increase in demand and in need and those services are being provided because this is a Government that takes mental health seriously takes youth mental health seriously and has put considerably more into just that part of our mental health services than has ever been put into it before.Matt Doocey: Does he accept the findings of the Salvation Army State of the Nation report released yesterday which concluded that mental health pressure on young people had increased last year with a third of teenagers facing moderate or high levels of distress and if so what actions has he taken to support young people to get the support they need?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: This Government has been aware all along that the responses to the pandemic that have required many schools to be closed or operate on a sort of partial basis have put severe strain and pressure on young people and their social networks and in many cases their mental health. That is why as I outlined in my answer to the primary question this Government has invested more specifically in services to support and assist young people and their families and we are continuing to do so. It is also why this Government was determined that when the school year started recently we did everything we could to get young people back to school to restore their social networks to restore their socialisation and to improve their mental health.Matt Doocey: So when the Minister said—when he rejected my call for a young persons' mental health summit—that the Government is across the issue because he was hosting a conference at the end of the year why does he think it's acceptable to wait until October to respond to the issues instead of a summit right now or is it because he is playing politics?Hon ANDREW LITTLE: As I said before the member's letter was a stunt and that's why he ran off to journalists the minute he sent it to me. He has not seriously committed to a summit at all. It's interesting that his leader says publically that he wants National and Labour to collaborate on mental health issues but he's got a spokesperson who is not simply capable of doing that. We have committed to hosting an international summit later this year specifically on youth mental health issues. That's an opportunity not only for New Zealand to relay its experiences to experts from around the world but for those around the world to come and share theirs with us and we are committed to seeing that happen."