Roy Heather: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Roy Heather: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:617;Page:12847] 
10.  
HEATHER ROY (ACT) 
 to the  
Minister of Health 
: Is the Mental Health Commission correct when it states that “In 2002/2003 for the period January to June 758 fewer people were reported as being seen by mental health services than during the same period in the previous year” and what has been the increase in annual funding for mental health services since she became Minister? 
Hon RUTH DYSON (Acting Minister of Health) 
: 
 Yes. The Mental Health Commission is correct in stating that a slightly lower number—1.2 percent—of people were reported as being seen by mental health services in January to June 2002-03 than in the same period the previous year. This does not mean that fewer people were actually seen as the data does not include numbers of people being seen by non-governmental organisation providers and the reduction in numbers may reflect more accurate reporting in some services. The commission itself states in the overview to the same report: “Our ability to interpret progress towards access targets is hindered by continued … problems with data accuracy …”. The annual GST-inclusive funding for mental health in the current financial year is $321 million higher than the annual funding 5 years ago. 
Heather Roy 
: Is the Minister telling this House that the Government is spending an extra $200 million more on mental health services than it did when it came to power in 1999 but is treating no more patients; and just where has this money gone? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: No I am not saying that at all. I am reporting very accurate examples of how the lack of data available is causing us difficulty in ensuring that we are progressing towards the access targets as required in the  
Blueprint for Mental Health Services in New Zealand: How Things Need To Be 
 but clearly from the increased funding our commitment is to move towards those targets. 
Steve Chadwick 
: Does the Minister know how Maori access to mental health services compares? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Funding for Maori mental health services increased to 9.6 percent in 2002-03 and over the 6 months ended June 2003 an estimated 10600 Maori were reported as being seen by mental health services. That is 2 percent of Maori compared with 1.6 percent of the total population being seen by such services. There has been good progress towards the goal of Maori workforce development with programmes to support Maori students to gain mental health qualifications. That programme has supported 463 students over 5 years with bursars achieving an 80 to 95 percent pass rate. 
Dr Paul Hutchison 
: How can the Minister defend one of the key findings of the report which is that inpatient beds for children and young people are at only 60 percent of recommended levels; and after 4 long years why has she let that happen? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Yes I absolutely do share the concern of the commission and of the member who raised that supplementary question. It is a significant issue in New Zealand and other countries. Child and youth mental health services are a comparatively new area and at the same time we also have significantly increasing prevalence rates of mental disorders in this population. As a country we are working hard to address this as are other countries. 
Ron Mark 
: Is the Minister aware that as of 29 April 42.1 percent of the 113342 New Zealanders receiving the invalids and sickness benefits are people with psychological psychiatric and substance abuse problems; if she is could she explain how it is possible that what is clearly an increase in those numbers has been met by a reduction in the delivery of mental health services? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: If the member quotes those figures then I am sure they are correct. They are consistent with a reflection I made in answer to a previous question in the House in relation to the increase in numbers of people on the invalids benefit. A lot of that is comparable with the situation in European countries where the increasing levels of mental illness and diagnosis of mental illness contribute to both those problems. 
Judy Turner 
: Is the Minister aware that the commission’s findings that only 1.1 percent of people under 20 years of age were seen by mental health services in the 6 months ended June 2003 mean that approximately 21147 children and young people are missing out on the services they need to assist their social and educational development; and will she take responsibility for ensuring that the child and adolescent mental health workforce is not only better trained but also expanded so that the needs of those children can be met; if not why not? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Yes I do agree with the comments that the member made. I am very pleased to tell the House that since the period of the report that is under discussion in this question the Werry Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health has been opened in Auckland. The work of the centre will directly impact on improving the workforce and quality innovative approaches to child and youth mental health services. 
Heather Roy 
: Has the Minister been informed that because of this Government’s systemic failure a patient at Wellington Hospital’s ward 27 had to sleep in the ward’s telephone booth because there were no beds available; and what responsibility does she accept for this appalling treatment of a patient? 
Hon RUTH DYSON 
: Yes I have read media reports on that area and I do understand the difficulty that the Capital and Coast District Health Board has faced in the provision of mental health services. As the member will know there is strong and direct engagement between the chief executive of that district health board and the Ministry of Health to ensure that those situations do not occur in the future.