Te Mana Hauora o Te Arawa chairman Michael Naera. Photo / Andrew Warner
Te Mana Hauora o Te Arawa chairman Michael Naera. Photo / Andrew Warner
A grant to help people with mental health and addiction needs get better access to vaccinations was "a long time coming," a mental health advocate says.
It comes as Kaupapa Māori health provider Manaaki Ora in Rotorua has received a grant from a national $2 million Covid-19 vaccine and immunisationpeer support fund.
Manaaki Ora group manager Marita Ranclaud said it was in partnership with Te Kupenga Net Trust in Gisborne to deliver this work and shared a contract valued at $110,000.
The fund would provide easier access to Covid vaccinations and support access to other preventative services such as health checks and influenza vaccinations.
Ranclaud said Manaaki Ora was part of a local collective of health providers who worked in the vaccination and immunisation space.
"We see this opportunity as a useful addition to the collective resource."
Manaaki Ora intended to employ a part-time peer support worker - someone with lived experience of mental health and addiction - to undertake a range of activities that supported access to and uptake of vaccination and health services by those affected by mental health and addiction.
"Covid restrictions created a situation where access to health services was impacted - meaning that many people have fallen behind with things like heart checks, cervical smears and childhood immunisations.
"Misinformation, distrust of services, cost, transport or simply that health isn't a priority when compared to other things that may be happening in a person's life are additional reasons why people with mental health and addiction issues may not access vaccination or health services."
Ranclaud said people with mental health and addiction needs tended to have poorer physical health.
"As we support people to 'catch up' with their vaccinations, immunisation and health checks, we will be influencing outcomes such as improved wellbeing and self-efficacy."
Te Mana Hauora o Te Arawa chairman Michael Naera said the grant was "a long time coming". Photo / Andrew Warner
However, Te Mana Hauora o Te Arawa chairman and mental health advocate Michael Naera said the grant was "a long time coming" and "should have happened two years ago".
Data from Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand showed in the Te Whatu Ora Lakes region, 82 per cent of those accessing mental health and addiction services were fully vaccinated as at July 25. Fifty per cent of those eligible had received a Covid booster shot.
This compared to 91 per cent of the general Te Whatu Ora Lakes population being fully vaccinated and 68 per cent boosted as at July 28.
"I'm aware that people with lived experience of mental distress have been left off the radar and they still are ... the highest that haven't been vaccinated," Naera said.
Naera congratulated Whatu Ora for setting up the grant.
"But I'm a little despondent as to why it's taken so long for this type of service for people with mental distress and addictions."
Naera said barriers it faced when accessing vaccination clinics and health checks were "quite simple".
"There's poor access in information for people in mental distress to access services.
"Those who have acute mental distress are worried that it [vaccinations] will impact on the medication they do have to manage and maintain good wellbeing."
National director of Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand's national public health service Dr Nick Chamberlain. Photo / Michael Cunningham
In a media statement, national director of Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand's national public health service Dr Nick Chamberlain said people with mental health and addiction needs had a higher risk of "getting seriously sick from Covid".
"It is important they are able to easily access vaccinations to protect themselves and their whānau."
The funding would also enable a "holistic" approach to each person's health and wellbeing needs, supporting access to other preventative services such as health checks and influenza vaccinations.
Chamberlain said "significant work" had already been done to ensure the vaccination rollout met the needs of these communities, such as setting up vaccination centres with low-sensory options, providing support for people with anxiety and needle phobia, and organising accessible transport.
"However, there is still work to be done. These grants will strengthen some of the vital community and sector-led peer support services that have proven effective through the Covid pandemic."
The grants would be used for a range of initiatives, such as setting up helplines, establishing new community outreach programmes and providing transport to get people to vaccination clinics.
