10. Mental Health Services Canterbury—FundingDr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of HealthMental Health Services Canterbury—Funding10. Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of Health: How much did the Canterbury District Health Board receive from the Government for mental health and addiction services support in response to the Kaikōura earthquake after paying off the debt of Kaikōura's health centre?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): Following the Kaikōura earthquake the Government announced a $3.76 million support package for Kaikōura and Marlborough including $2 million to clear remaining community debt for the new Kaikōura health centre as well as a total of $915000 for Nelson Marlborough District Health Board and $845000 for Canterbury District Health Board. Although the Canterbury District Health Board sought a higher amount of funding the support package was deliberately for only 1 year in order to allow immediate assistance to be delivered while the longer-term wider psychosocial recovery response is being considered.Dr David Clark: Is it not true that the $845000 he has just admitted to was meant to last the district health board (DHB) until December 2017 and that the DHB has already spent $2 million to date previously earmarked for other services like aged care on providing support as a result of the Kaikōura earthquake?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Well as the member knows the district health board is bulk funded. It has got a budget of about $1.4 billion—that has gone up by $330 million over the time of this Government. This was a very carefully formulated package. It was consulted on with the Canterbury and the Nelson Marlborough DHBs and it has delivered a wide range of services which I am very happy to take the member through. Dr David Clark: Why did he not listen to the Canterbury District Health Board when he was told in official advice that the $845000 for mental health services after the Kaikōura earthquake would not go far enough?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Well the Canterbury District Health Board made a case for a wider package—a greater amount of money—but looking through its figures it actually got the figures wrong. So it wanted $3.2 million for the clearing of the debt when the debt was only $2 million. It also wanted about $2 million for community service coordinators which was actually money that was provided across different portfolios. So there was a difference between the figures there. But the actual fact is that it is a package that is focused on delivering the services that are needed.Dr David Clark: I seek leave to table official advice to the Minister that says his relief package is deliberately short term. It is from a briefing dated 2 December 2016 and released under the Official Information Act.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that information. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is not; it can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Dr David Clark: Is the Canterbury DHB funded below the national average for mental health services?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: The Canterbury District Health Board receives a per-person amount that is based on exactly the same formula as every other district health board. So in terms of the total number that will reflect the demographics of the population. It is higher than some DHBs and lower than others but it is the same formula and it is fair right across the country. On top of that there has been $106 million put in by the Government to help the Canterbury DHB through the effects of the earthquake. That includes $20 million last—Dr David Clark: I raise a point of order Mr Speaker. It was a very straight and short question as to whether it was funded below the national average.Mr SPEAKER: And the Minister answered it. He said it is higher than some and lower than others.Dr David Clark: Mr Speaker that is not an answer to the question; that is a truism.Mr SPEAKER: That is very much an answer to the question. If the member has further supplementary questions I will hear them.Dr David Clark: Does he think it is acceptable that financial pressures have put the Canterbury DHB in a position where just last month 40 adult in-patients were ferried off to a range of locations at night because there are currently more adult patients than beds in Canterbury?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: As he will know his excellent predecessor Mrs King was involved in changing the model of care. It is a model that I support whereby actually we are not locking everybody up in the hospitals like we did last century; we are actually moving people into the community where they are cared for. I would suggest that the member puts aside his personal differences with Mrs King sits down with her learns from her experience and learns—[Interruption]Mr SPEAKER: Order! I do not think the answer continuing is going to help the order of the House.Dr David Clark: Given anticipated demand and given the fact that the chief executive of the Canterbury DHB says a request for more funding was not unreasonable is the Minister once again saying that he knows better than researchers and practitioners when it comes to post-earthquake mental health support?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: No I am not saying that but I have already taken the member through that answer. What I said was that there was a difference between what the Canterbury DHB chief executive thought the Canterbury DHB should receive but actually the figures in that document were wrong. He wanted $3.2 million to clear the debt; the debt was $2 million. He wanted $2 million for community support coordinators; that is actually covered by a range of portfolios. I suggest once again he gets together—Mr SPEAKER: Order! No I do not think this is going to help the order of the House.