From the House: Let's keep talking about mental health

Stuart Nash is the MP for Napier and the Minister of Police. Photo / Supplied

There are a lot of people hurting in Hawke's Bay right now.

Anyone who has been reading this newspaper this week will have noticed the grief that pours out of the pages. People across all communities have been talking about the mental health challenges facing their loved ones.

The chief coroner has released new figures that have shocked us all. Thirty-eight Hawke's Bay people took their own lives in the last year. Across the country, we lost 685 people to suicide.

I want to thank the editor of this paper for keeping this conversation going. Talking helps.

The coroner's figures are a sad reminder of the scale of the mental health challenge we face as a nation. We inherited a mental health system that did not have enough staff, enough facilities, enough funding or enough programmes. We have made it a priority to fix it. It will take time but we are committed to this.

I urge anyone experiencing depressive thoughts to find someone to talk to, family, friend or support network. Talking makes a huge difference.

Every life matters, and every death from suicide is a tragedy. Behind each of those deaths is a story terrible grief and loss. To all those families, whānau and wider communities I want you to know we're working hard to improve our mental health services.

In this year's Budget we put aside a record $1.9 billion investment in mental health and addiction – including $455 million to create new frontline services and $40m for suicide prevention.

We will build entirely new services, train hundreds of new staff, and build new facilities across New Zealand. It will transform our approach to mental health and addiction with real and sustained investment.

It is expected that 1600 additional staff will be needed in five years' time as a result of this initiative. The health minister expects that a quarter of these will be staff new to the sector.

Others will be people already working in health, such as nurses, occupational therapists, or social workers. They would receive training and an additional qualification in areas like cognitive-based and talking therapies.

We expect 325,000 New Zealanders to access mental health services per year. Around 15,000 people go to emergency departments each year experiencing a mental health crisis or at risk of suicide.

There are no quick fixes. But as a Government we are committed to taking mental health and addiction seriously. Suicide is an incredibly complicated issue, and turning around our terrible rate will take time.

We can all help someone who is hurting. Reach out to family, friends, neighbours, workmates. Give them hope, give them the time of day, give them a conversation.

* Stuart Nash is the MP for Napier and the Minister of Police

WHERE TO GET HELP If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call police immediately on 111. Or if you need to talk to someone else:
* 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) (available 24/7)
* https://www.lifeline.org.nz/services/suicide-crisis-helpline
* YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 ? NEED TO TALK? Free call or text 1737 (available 24/7)
* KIDSLINE: 0800 543 754 (available 24/7)
* WHATSUP: 0800 942 8787 (1pm to 11pm)
* DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 or TEXT 4202
* Samaritans: 0800 726 666