Te Whare Maiangiangi, Tauranga Hospital's Mental Health Unit. Photo / NZME
The Bay of Plenty District Health Board spent a little over $77 million on mental health services in one year - $5m more than the year before.
It comes as a Rotorua-based mental health expert says he's seen a high demand for services over the past few years.
According to figures released through the Official Information Act, the board spent $77.279m on mental health services in the 2020/21 financial year. The spending from the previous year was $71.828m.
Mental health community services received the largest share of funding, with $15.166m spent.
Spending on acute mental health inpatient services rose in 2021, up to $13.079m from $12.72m the previous year.
Spending on child and youth mental health services also rose in 2021 to $11.542m.
Bay of Plenty District Health Board acting general manager planning and funding Mike Agnew said the funding covers all aspects of service delivery, which would include infrastructure and salary costs.
"Funding decisions are based on need and meeting that need within the scope of current resources."
Agnew said the board's current priorities are the rollout of "integrated primary mental health and addiction services" and the continued rollout of school-based mental health services.
Agnew said the board was also prioritising the completion of a plan that would support the rebuild of mental health facilities at Tauranga and Whakatane hospitals.
"The business case for the Whakatane Mental Health new build has been submitted to the Ministry of Health and is awaiting approval.
"The business case for the proposed Tauranga Mental Health new build, which is a larger and more complex project, is being worked through with the Ministry of Health."
Rotorua-based mental health advocate Michael Naera said he had seen a high demand for mental health services in the last few years.
"I know that Covid-19 has contributed to the rise in whānau seeking mental health services.
"I also know through frontline clinicians that they are struggling with demand at the moment and that is not only for those who are suffering from severe mental distress but also from everyday anxiety and depression."
Naera said accessing acute mental health services could sometimes be like going through a "bottleneck system" which filtered for severe mental distress. Those who do not meet the criteria are then referred back to community services.
"My concern is there is a second pandemic happening, a mental health crisis."
"Some people may call me alarmist but I know this from speaking to frontline workers and to whanau. They are struggling."
In May 2019 the Government announced a record $1.9 billion total Mental Health package which included $200 million extra funding for new and existing mental health and addiction facilities.
In their funding announcement, the Government quoted an estimate that in 2014 the economic cost of serious mental illness alone was $12 billion, or five per cent of New Zealand's Gross Domestic Product.
The original funding allocated from the Ministry of Health was $30m for Tauranga and $15m for Whakatane.
But Tauranga MP Simon Bridges said Labour needed to get out from the ivory towers and see what's really going on.
"Labour measures success in terms of spending alone but unfortunately what really matters is outcomes," Bridges told the Bay of Plenty Times.
"People on the mental health coal face locally tell me mental health services continue to go backwards in the Bay of Plenty. All of this is a tragedy."
Bridges said increased cash would not increase outcomes, especially as the population continues to grow.
"We need more beds and trained staff, like we were promised."
Meanwhile, in a new report from the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, committee chair Hayden Wano calls on the Government "to seize the opportunity presented by Covid-19 to accelerate investment in lifting the wellbeing of our communities."
"Lifting wellbeing requires more than a good health response," Wano wrote.
"It requires a shift in public policy that reflects what wellbeing really means for communities in Aotearoa."
Among the recommendations of the commission's report was the need to "advocate for action on the social and systemic factors that improve wellbeing, as well as mental health and addiction services for those in need, including partnering with agencies at all levels."
Minister of Health Andrew Little acknowledged the system's failings, saying: "We have more to do to bring our mental health services up to an acceptable level everywhere, but we have made a good start in addressing the longstanding neglect of the system."
Little said the four- to five-year Access and Choice programme (with the four streams; Integrated Primary Mental Health and Addiction, kaupapa Māori, Pacific and youth) had already provided almost 235,000 sessions since the programme began and support to more than 14,000 people in October alone.
"These new services are available and free to anyone and are already making a difference.
"When the Labour government took office at the end of 2017 the mental health system had been neglected for many years and was in crisis.
"A review commissioned by the Government reported at the end of 2018 and made recommendations to address the state of the mental health system.
"As a consequence of the review, this government has added about 800 full-time equivalent frontline health roles across the Access and Choice programme (as of October 31, 2021) covering a population of around 1.9 million people. This programme will take another two years to complete.
"In addition to adding more people to our mental health workforce, we have invested $477 million for 16 building projects to upgrade or rebuild mental health facilities.
"We will continue to build on this progress and maintain momentum into 2022, as we transition to a reformed health system. Next year will see continued expansion of new services.
"The aim of the health reforms is to ensure equity and reduce the postcode lottery that exists between DHBs."
• Mental Health Community Services - $15,166,489.59
• Acute Mental Health Inpatient - $13,079,957.82
• Child/Youth Mental Health Services - $11,542,690.70
Where to get help:
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (available 24/7)
• Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 (0508 TAUTOKO) (available 24/7)
• Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 (available 24/7)
• Kidsline: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
• Whatsup: 0800 942 8787 (12pm to 11pm)
• Depression helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202 (available 24/7)
• Anxiety helpline: 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY) (available 24/7)
• Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
Hint: They are more likely to degrade waterways than mutate into a crime-fighting team.