Richmond to Provide a Flexible Model of Care

Media Release
14 April 2003

Richmond to Provide a Flexible Model of Care in Auckland

Christchurch-based Richmond Fellowship has been selected to provide a flexible model of care, known as Intensive Support Packages, for Auckland clients with severe mental illness requiring high levels of support.

Richmond’s contract with the Auckland District Health Board is a response to last year’s Governmental review of the Auckland mental health sector, which contained a recommendation for accommodation with intensive support.

Richmond will provide four individual packages of care, with 24-hour support as and when required.
“All of the clients in this new service have a long history of ill health and hospitalisation,” says the director of Auckland services, Uwe Pohl. “Our service will provide support that caters to individual needs, with constant supervision if necessary, as per our flexible services in other centres.” A key feature of the contract is the provision of an additional 0.5 FTE clinician within ADHB’s clinical services to work with the Richmond team.

Mr Pohl says Richmond’s selection as the preferred provider is extremely pleasing. “We are already providing some services for the ADHB, and this contract reflects our excellent working relationship and the effectiveness of these packages.”

Auckland has approximately 68 providers of community-based mental health services. Around a dozen provide high level residential support services.

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