1. Mental Health Services—FundingHon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of HealthORAL QUESTIONSQUESTIONS TO MINISTERSMental Health Services—Funding1. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of Health: What reports if any has he received on the impact of homelessness inequality and natural disasters on the mental health of New Zealanders?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA (Associate Minister of Health) on behalf of the Minister of Health: I have received a range of reports on the mental health of New Zealanders. There are a wide range of complex determinants that affect an individual's mental health and well-being. This Government has made significant investments from strengthening the economy warmer housing and lifting benefits as well as increases to the health budget to a record $16.1 billion in 2016.Hon Annette King: If he is aware of the impact of natural disasters on the mental health of New Zealanders as he claimed several weeks ago why has he underfunded mental health services in Canterbury by $22.8 million according to information released by the district health board (DHB) dated 24 June 2016?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: That member knows that the funding has increased in the Canterbury District Health Board region by $44 million in the last Budget. That member also knows that we increased the funding for mental health services in March for the next 3 years as part of a package of initiatives to boost current mental health services in Canterbury.Hon Annette King: Is he aware that the additional $5.48 million per year he allocated to the Canterbury DHB and requires to be spent on top of its mental health ring-fenced expenditure leaves it with a $22.8 million shortfall according to information released by the district health board dated 24 June 2016?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Again I have to reiterate to that member that the Government has increased funding to the Canterbury District Health Board it has increased mental health funding and it is ring-fenced. But the Canterbury District Health Board like every district health board in the country needs to allocate that funding to the needs of those in their communities.Hon Annette King: Has the Canterbury DHB informed him that it is going to have to take funds from other health services such as personal health and the health of older people to make up for the underfunding in mental health according to the information released by the DHB dated 24 June 2016?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: Again I say to that member that the funding has increased in the Canterbury District Health Board region. There are an extra 27 fulltime-equivalent primary-care and community-based mental health workers as well as further funding for current programmes such as Telehealth in the area.Hon Annette King: I seek leave to table an Official Information Act (OIA) request dated 24 June 2016 from the Canterbury District Health Board—information within which as outlined in my questions to the Minister.Mr SPEAKER: Leave is sought to table that particular OIA information. Is there any objection to it being tabled? There is none. It can be tabled.Document by leave laid on the Table of the House.Hon Annette King: Has the increasing pressure and stress faced by many people living in the most deprived areas in New Zealand and the growing inequality in New Zealand as outlined by Statistics New Zealand's report yesterday led to the 30000 additional visits to emergency departments of hospitals around New Zealand by mental health users since 2011; if not what is the reason?Mr SPEAKER: Order! One of those supplementary questions.Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: There are a number of reasons why people present in emergency departments across the country. But what I can say about mental health services in this country is that there has been an increase in the demand for mental health services which that member will acknowledge. But in terms of the access to mental health services there are now over 22000 adults—new mental health clients—of which 84 percent of them are seen within 3 weeks and 95 percent of them are seen within 8 weeks. So although there is an increased demand in mental health services there has also been increased access for those who need that demand.Hon Annette King: Is he alarmed at the recently released figures that show big rises in crisis - mental health referrals—almost 300 percent over the last 5 years—a situation that mental health professionals are now calling dangerous and as Professor Max Abbott said clearly the cracks are showing?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: That member knows that this Government has increased mental health spending from $1.1 billion in 2008 when that member was in Government to over $1.4 billion in the latest Budget. That is $300 million in increased spending to meet those services that are demanded by New Zealanders.Hon Annette King: In light of the huge increase in emergency department presentations crisis call-outs and referrals in mental health why will the Government not stump up with funding to keep Lifeline Aotearoa going—a respected and long-time suicide helpline in New Zealand that is often the only service that suicidal people contact?Hon Peseta SAM LOTU-IIGA: That member knows that after-hours telephone health services were part of this Government's manifesto in 2011. I am advised that the successful bidder to that tender for those services—7 months on these services are performing above expectations and the collective benefits of the Healthline integration to one provider are now being seen.