8. Canterbury District Health Board—Mental Health Services and FundingDr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of HealthCanterbury District Health Board—Mental Health Services and Funding8. Dr DAVID CLARK (Labour—Dunedin North) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his Director-General's claim that Canterbury District Health Board's request in March for urgent additional mental health funding of $7.2 million to address increasing demand was inappropriate"?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): Yes and it is important that the member understands the wider context here. It is not appropriate for any district health board (DHB) to use the annual plan process to bid for more funding on top of the Budget allocation. It is also worth noting that the State Services Commissioner the Secretary to the Treasury and the Chief Executive of the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet also agreed with the director-general's position following further requests made by the Canterbury District Health Board. Budget 2017 increased the funding to the Canterbury DHB by $73 million to a record $1.499 billion for 2017-18 an increase of nearly $400 million over the last 9 years.Dr David Clark: Why did Ministry of Health director of critical projects manager Michael Hundleby say that there was no funding allocated for ad hoc requests when the Minister himself announced $20 million ad hoc for mental health pressures in March the year before outside of normal Budget processes?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Because that was a totally exceptional circumstance but the director of critical projects does not have a slush bucket of funds just to dole out every time. So basically what Chai Chuah has said is absolutely correct: you cannot use the annual planning process to try to screw more money out following the Budget process.Dr David Clark: In light of his ministry's view that additional funding is inappropriate does he deny the following statistics from the Canterbury District Health Board's minutes last month: that since the earthquake there has been a 36 percent increase in adult community mental health service presentations a 73 percent increase in child and youth mental health presentations a 41 percent increase in rural mental health presentations and a 72 percent increase in emergency department mental health presentations?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Yes and that is exactly why the Government has put in an extra $106 million to help with the additional costs of recovery since the 2010 earthquakes. That includes an extra $20 million for the next 3 years which we announced in March 2016 as part of a package to boost initiatives for mental health services in Canterbury. Also the DHB is going to spend $160 million on mental health services this year. That is an increase of $30 million on 9 years ago. I can take you now through the broader points around that $20 million: that is part of a package that is going to boost services in the community; it was consulted with the community workers. There are an extra 27 fulltime-equivalents in primary care and more community-based health workers. There is also a $1 million per year partnering with Christchurch City Council and Lianne Dalziel—I know you guys are missing her actually—Mr SPEAKER: Order! Just carry on with the answer.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: —to allocate to the Christchurch mayoral fund and on top of that the Ministry of Health is extending the All Right? campaign for a further 3 years. So actually we have been listening to Canterbury on mental health. We have consulted with people who know what they are talking about and we have put in a hell of a lot more money.Dr David Clark: Was any of the $2.7 million that Canterbury DHB had to give back as a result of his Government's Budget blunder for the district health board this year originally planned for mental health services?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Actually the member is being very misleading. It did not have to give back any money at all. The total allocation across DHBs was exactly the same. This year there will be an extra $160 million spent on mental health waiting times are coming down there are more psychiatrists more mental health nurses and an increase in services. So I do not know why the member has wasted his question No. 8—I know he—Mr SPEAKER: Order! [Interruption] Order! We do not need to go there.Dr David Clark: I am not going to let that arrogant response lie. Will he guarantee that the youth in-patient mother and babies and eating disorder mental health services currently operating from the Princess Margaret Hospital site will be included in the new build plan for the Hillmorton site?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Well we are just working through the planning of future services now but what I can guarantee is that those services will continue to be provided and that is the main point.Dr David Clark: In light of his ministry's response to Canterbury DHB that it should prioritise funding if additional mental health services are needed which front-line services does he think Canterbury should cut instead?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: No one is asking anyone to cut front-line services; the member should stop misleading the House.Mr SPEAKER: Order! That last part is completely unnecessary and will be withdrawn."