Five hospitals have been selected to trial a new mental health and addiction peer support service in their emergency departments as part of the Government’s commitment to increase access to mental health and addiction support for New Zealanders, says Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey.

“Peer Support Specialists in EDs will assist in providing mental health support to patients that need it. They will also have the ability to connect patients to community services and provide support to those arriving to hospitals on their own, with family, or the Police.

“I recently visited Nelson Hospital who have Peer Support Specialists in place, and they have been incredibly successful in supporting people with mental health issues. This is a programme that works, and something our Government want to see implemented across New Zealand so that more people can benefit from the services they provide,” Mr Doocey says.

The five Emergency Departments selected to trial this new mental health and addiction peer support service are Auckland City Hospital, Middlemore Hospital, Waikato Hospital, Wellington Regional Hospital and Christchurch Hospital.

“As I talk to people around New Zealand and listen to those on the ground, I've become firmly of the view that the ideas to solve the issues we have in mental health are already in the sector but just need the opportunity to be backed.

“This supports the Government’s priorities to increase access to mental health and addiction support, grow the mental health and addiction workforce, strengthen focus on prevention and early intervention and improve the effectiveness of mental health and addiction support.

“This trial will build on the recently announced $10 million Mental Health Innovation Fund which aims to help new and innovative mental health services to scale up and the $24 million of funding over four years to Gumboot Friday, which will provide free mental health counselling to an extra 15,000 young people aged between 5 and 25 years.”

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