10. Question No. 10—HealthMATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri) to the Minister of HealthQuestion No. 10—Health10. MATT DOOCEY (National—Waimakariri) to the Minister of Health: Why are there 16 fewer psychiatrist FTEs employed in 2023 than when this Government came into office in 2017 and does she think that this is an acceptable outcome from the $1.9 billion announced for mental health in Budget 2019?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL (Minister of Health): I am advised that there are 465.3 fulltimeequivalent psychiatrists working for Te Whatu Ora across New Zealand. There are a number of vacancies. New Zealand is experiencing pressure across all areas of the mental health and addiction workforce particularly the clinical workforce. These pressures are longstanding and felt across the world. Growing our specialist workforce is tough because highly specialised people take a long time to train. The effectiveness of that $1.9 billion should be judged according to what we said we'd spend it on. The flagship health initiative was Access and Choice a programme for mild to moderate mental health conditions. This programme has been scaled to over 600 sites and has had over 1 million visits. For that programme we have created over 1000 new mental health workers—Hon Member: Psychiatrists?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: —none of whom are psychiatrists. This Government has built a primary mental health system from the ground up. None of that existed when we came into Government. I am sure that member did not mean to imply that the Budget '19 funding was for psychiatrists.Matt Doocey: Does she think it is acceptable that after the Government promised to transform the mental health system in 2017 there are now 16 fewer psychiatrists in 2023?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: This Government has done what it intended to do based on the review at the beginning of this work. We have created Access and Choice which is providing mild to moderate mental health care in the community. We have launched the Wellbeing Support website to connect people with those services. We are funding methamphetamine harm-reduction services. We have adapted services for rangatahi kaupapa Māori and Pasifika. We are making sure mental health workers are competent in dealing with rainbow communities. We have taken innovative approaches to funding the 1737 health line Youthline and digital service apps like Groov and Headstrong. This is hard work but our transformation is well under way.Matt Doocey: How can she defend that after announcing $1.9 billion for mental health and promising to transform the mental health system there are 16 fewer psychiatrists today than six years ago?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: As I said the Government should be assessed on what it said it would do. We have created a thousand additional workers in Access and Choice. We have increased places for New Entry to Specialist Practice for nurses to 282 annually. We have grown the role of peer support workers in mental health. We have increased the number of occupational therapists and social workers going through the New Entry to Specialist Practice programme. And we have increased the number of psychologists by 713 and tripled the number of psychology internships.Matt Doocey: Was it her Government's intention after announcing $1.9 billion for mental health and promising to transform the mental health system that there would be 16 fewer psychiatrists today than six years ago?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: That money has been spent on what it was intended to be spent on and we are delivering the results. I don't know why that member is interested in a sleight of hand of pretending it was intended for some other purpose unless he's buttering the public up for the cuts we know are coming under a National Government.Matt Doocey: Is the failure of delivering 16 fewer psychiatrists an example of what the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission stated: There are persistent workforce shortages. We are yet to see a clear strategy and a roadmap to grow and develop the workforce we so desperately need."; and why have you failed to deliver to vulnerable New Zealanders after you promised them six years ago?Hon Dr AYESHA VERRALL: It's great to see that member quoting the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission. I am so pleased that our Government brought back the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission after they cut it. I have already spoken to the huge amount of work to increase our workforce which is evidence of a plan and I will repeat it: 1000 additional workers in the Access and Choice programme; new programme for nurses with 282 going through per year; increased role for peer support workers; increased specialist training for occupational therapists and social workers; and a tripling of the number of internships for psychologists."