Mental health and addictions leaders talk solutions

- MEDIA RELEASE -

Mental health and addictions leaders talk solutions

Mental health and addictions leaders from across the country will meet together for two days in Wellington this week.

While public concern continues to grow about the current mental health and addictions system, sector leaders will gather at Tahatū Rangi to reimagine a system that actually meets the needs of New Zealanders.

“Another review or inquiry will only tell us how to patch the current system” says Marion Blake, CEO of Platform Trust. “We’ve had so many reviews. This gathering of sector leaders gives us a chance to imagine a different system that will work for New Zealanders.”

Attendees are primarily leaders from community mental health and addictions services with some of their district health board and other colleagues, along with people who use mental health and addictions services.

The symposium brings together the whole sector with content deliberately and significantly focused on collaboration and co-design. Services that have demonstrated the success of their thinking beyond traditional systems, and who have created better ways of working together, will share their lessons learned.

“If we are genuine about supporting people when and how they need, we must recognise that everyone has a role to play” affirms Naomi Cowan, Chairperson of Platform Trust. “People need support from their whanau and friends, from their communities, from general practitioners, and sometimes in hospitals.”

Platform Trust itself has already signaled its clear intention to collaborate across traditional boundaries by recently signing a joint statement with four primary health organisations (PHOs).

Tahatū Rangi is a joint project between Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui and Platform Trust.

Website: www.platform.org.nz

Programme:http://www.platform.org.nz/uploads/files/Tahatu%20Rangi%202016%20programme.pdf

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