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2.4 Mental Health & Addictions (Regional Mental Health & Addictions Network)
Chair: Professor Graham Mellsop Regional Director: Eseta Nonu-Reid Lead Chief Executive: Ron Dunham
Mental Health & Addiction Context5
Since the 1990s the mental health and addiction sector has been through significant growth and rapid change, not only in relation to the range of services available, the way they are provided and the strong emphasis on a culture of recovery, but also in terms of the expectations of people who use services, their families and whānau, and communities. The service changes have only been possible through the efforts of an innovative and energetic sector that is willing to make continual improvements and never stand still. Despite all the improvements over recent years, service quality and the level of access to services remain variable for people with mental health and addiction issues. It is essential we continue to seek opportunities to improve, for example with earlier and more effective responses, improved outcomes, better system integration and performance, increased access to services, effective and efficient use of resources and stronger whole-of-government partnerships.
Māori continue to have a different experience of a number of mental health and addiction issues (Oakley Browne et al 2006), such as inpatient admission, length of stay, seclusion and compulsory treatment (Ministry of Health 2012a) clozapine use, than other groups. In the context of an overall increase in demand, also continue to have:
one of the highest rates of youth suicide in the developed world
high rates of the use of seclusion, with variation between District Health Boards (DHBs)
high rates of the use of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, with variation between DHBs
variation in access to services especially for children and youth
variable waiting times for access to mental health and addiction services
variable alignment and integration between services provided by DHBs and those provided by NGOs
variable integration between specialist services and primary care
limited and variable primary mental health responses for people experiencing common but debilitating mental health and addiction
issues and no ability to measure access to these primary mental health responses
gaps in responses for people with co-existing mental health and addiction problems, and those with co-existing mental health issues
and disabilities
variability in the quality of specialist inpatient facilities.
Some of these problems are structural, with funding and purchasing systems which allow or encourage the development of separate empires. To tackle these challenges, significant changes are needed to better meet the needs of those in our communities who use our services. We must take the time to consider emerging evidence and cutting-edge practice. This plan allows the region to take incremental steps towards
achieving
Vision: “Improving Mental Health and Addiction with Integrated and Supported Systems” underpinned by:
1. Quality services
2. Sector infrastructure
3. Integration and social inclusion
4. Workforce capacity and capability
5. Health system relationships and integration
6. Early detection and intervention focusing on recovery
7. Information Management
Key Objectives:
a) Leading regional mental health and addiction planning
b) Leading regional service improvement
c) Supporting the achievement of health targets and policy priorities
d) Linking to national and regional governance structures and processes
e) Leading and/or supporting the development of nationally consistent approaches to mental health and addiction
f) Reducing inequalities in mental health and addiction outcomes
g) Efficiency and effectiveness to determine and inform funding prioritisation decisions
This plan is inclusive of primary, secondary, and the tertiary mental health and addiction sectors and should be read in conjunction with the local District Annual Plan.
5 Ministry of Health, 2012: Mental Health & Addiction Service Development Plan; Rising to the Challenge
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these goals.
INITIATIVES OF REGIONAL NETWORKS AND CLINICAL ACTION GROUPS
