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Report notes frustration, but also progress, with Government's mental health system reforms

March 9, 2021

Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission chairman Hayden Wano says the report highlights progress since the Government's 2019 Wellbeing Budget.

While there's hope about the Government's progress on transforming the mental health systerm, there's also frustration, the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission says in a new report.

In its report, the commission found some progress visible, but those working on the frontline say there's a lack of engagement from the Government.

However, in November 2018, the He Ara Oranga report into mental health and addiction was published following an inquiry. It found there was a strong need for a new direction and helped set a pathway with 40 recommendations — 38 of which the Government accepted.

In May 2019, the Wellbeing Budget pledged $1.9 billion over five years, signalling a strong intent to transform New Zealand's mental health system.

Since then, developments have been watched closely by the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission, which was set up to monitor progress.

It's now released its full report. Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission chairman Hayden Wano told Breakfast the Government had done well in some areas, but there was also tension.

"The expectation with people with lived experience, with whānau, with organisations working closely with communities, with people at the frontline was that they would be engaged in that process and that's where there's a sense of frustration coming through," he said.

"That's really, I think, based on the fact that as a system we're still trying to do things in the same way that we've normally done.

"If we're trying to do things differently then we're going to have to look at those rules and the way that that system engages with people."

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