4. Mental Health Services—Demand Funding and QualityHon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of HealthMental Health Services—Demand Funding and Quality4. Hon ANNETTE KING (Deputy Leader—Labour) to the Minister of Health: Does he stand by his statement that the New Zealand mental health system is high quality"?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN (Minister of Health): Yes but we have to continue progress in increasing access to services. It is clear that demand is rising and this is in line with international trends. Responding to this and staying ahead is a key priority for the Government and that is why we have increased total mental health spending by $300 million and why we are seeing and treating 28000 or 20 percent more people per year than 5 years ago. The main reason I am confident that our services are of high quality is that 9500 doctors nurses allied health and other support workers are delivering mental health services in our district health boards (DHBs) and NGOs. They are doing a terrific and very difficult job.Hon Annette King: Is it a high-quality system when a recent review of mental health services at Capital and Coast Wairarapa and Hutt Valley DHBs highlighted "chilling missteps" with a "tragic failure of technology" leading to one of five murders in 15 months "involving acutely unwell mental health patients"?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: There was an independent review of mental health services in the region following that group of suicides and what it concluded amongst its eight recommendations—the major one—was that we need to develop a single medical record for mental health clients. And the Director of Mental Health is accepting that recommendation and acting on it.Hon Annette King: Is there high-quality resourcing for mental health patients when 19 staff in the community mental health service team at Capital and Coast District Health Board are trying to manage 400 to 500 mental health referrals a month in the Wellington region alone?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: When you are talking about resourcing at Capital and Coast that has gone up considerably. It has gone up by 22 percent over the last 8 years from $80 million per year to $98 million. It would be interesting to know the detail of what the member is alleging there but what I can say is that there is more money going in and more people are being seen and they are being seen more quickly than ever. But there is no question that there is more to do.Hon Annette King: To assist the Minister I seek leave to table the review of the care and treatment provided to five people who attended the mental health services health addiction and intellectual disability services at Capital and Coast mental health where they raised the issue—Mr SPEAKER: Order! We do not need the qualification—[Interruption] Is the report freely available on the internet?Hon Annette King: Well if people can find it yes it is. But it is a review report. The Minister has not seen it.Mr SPEAKER: Order! No. If it is freely available and the member is acknowledging it is then members can source it themselves if they want it.Hon Annette King: If mental health resourcing is adequate why have mental health staff written an open letter to him pleading for help to fix "a broken system that is in crisis" and will he now concede that mental health is underfunded and needs an urgent review?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Well of course the member is referring to those strong supporters of the National Government the New Zealand Public Service Association which wrote that open letter. What they do know is that mental health funding has gone up from $1.1 billion per year to $1.4 billion per year—a rise of $300 million. But on top of that we are actually treating—Hon Annette King: Praise the staff and then criticise them.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: —listen to this—an extra 28000 people per year a 20 percent uplift in the number of patients. So we are doing more we are putting more in but of course there is always more to do and we will continue to do that.Hon Annette King: If the Government is providing enough resources for a high-quality system why was National MP Nicky Wagner forced to apologise for the state of mental health facilities at Princess Margaret Hospital and the people of Canterbury told: "We either continue to use the substandard facilities … or we stop delivering the services."?Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: Well of course as the member will be aware there is a $1 billion capital investment programme going into health services in Canterbury. On top of that the operational funding has increased by 25 percent over 8 years and we are determined that we are going to continue to provide very high-quality services in mental health in Canterbury. That is why we had that $20 million package last year and that is why of course we are partnering with Christchurch City Council. And we will be down there on Friday announcing that $1 million contribution from the Government to partner with Christchurch City Council to continue to provide the services that are needed. The problem though for the Labour Opposition members is that they think the measure of success is just purely about the dollars. They should focus on the results. They might do a bit better.Hon Annette King: All you've talked about is money.Hon Dr JONATHAN COLEMAN: That is your problem."