September 17th, 2024
In a groundbreaking move to alleviate the strain on hospital emergency departments (EDs), Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey on Thursday announced the introduction of a novel mental health and addiction peer support service across New Zealand's EDs.
Driving the news: The initiative aims to address the significant number of individuals—estimated between 13,000 and 14,600 annually—who seek emergency care for mental health issues. Doocey highlighted the challenge of managing these cases in EDs, which often leads to a bottleneck affecting both clinical staff and law enforcement officers.
Details: The peer support specialists will offer immediate mental health support, guide patients to community services, and provide comfort, particularly to those who arrive unaccompanied. This role is designed to complement the efforts of clinical staff, allowing them to focus more on clinical duties.
Zoom in: This initiative, a first of its kind since Doocey took office as New Zealand's inaugural Minister for Mental Health, is part of a broader effort to incorporate peer support specialists more significantly into the mental health care framework. It also aims to address the critical shortage of mental health professionals by promoting and supporting the role of Peer Support Specialists.
What's happening: The service will be implemented in four large hospitals in its initial year and is set to expand to four additional hospitals in the following year. The initiative is funded through unallocated Health NZ funds, with an estimated cost of $300,000 to $500,000 per hospital.
The big picture: This effort builds upon existing collaborations between Health NZ's clinical services and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Additionally, a $1 million workforce fund over two years will support the training of Peer Support Specialists, including the provision of a Level 4 NZ Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Peer Support) and specific training for working in emergency departments.
The bottom line: Minister Doocey envisions the initiative as a scalable model, with plans to extend it to all hospitals based on the success of the trial period. This strategic move underscores the government's commitment to enhancing mental health care services and addressing workforce challenges in the sector.