Frustration at Lack of Genuine Public Consultation for NZ’s Suicide Prevention Plan

Public Consultation on the Suicide Prevention Plan Just A Box-Ticking Exercise Says Mental Health Advocate

Maternal Care Action Group spokeswoman Kristina Paterson expressed concern and disappointment at the process by which the Ministry of Health have carried out public consultation for the controversial Suicide Prevention Plan.

Despite Maori and Pasifika being almost twice as likely to commit suicide than non-Maori/non-Pasifika, there were just three hui offered to Maori for consultation in Kerikeri, Hamilton and Whakatane, and just one Pasifika meeting in Auckland.

Ms Paterson attended the public consultation at Auckland’s Alexandra Park in May: “On the day of public consultation I had the expectation that this was going to be a space in which the public could communicate with the Ministry of Health what they felt the issues were that impacted on suicide and suicide prevention.”

The 40 or 50 people that attended were divided into groups who then had to give written feedback on the plan – a task Ms Paterson feels is already covered when people have the opportunity to make a written submission. “This was our time to speak and be heard. More than 2 hours was spent on the Ministry of Health’s agenda, responding to their framework. In the end, there was about 15 minutes given to us to actually have our voice heard, and there was only time for a few of us to speak. I spoke for one minute before someone from the Ministry of Health walked towards me to take the mic off me to pass on to someone else. I felt there wasn’t time for me to outline the gaps that women and children are experiencing and how addressing those gaps would contribute to suicide prevention. All of it felt more like a box-ticking exercise than genuinely wanting to hear from the public’s perspective” Ms Paterson said.

The public consultations followed Mike King’s resignation from the Suicide Plan’s panel, describing the plan as “deeply flawed” and the action points as a “masterclass in butt covering.”

Ms Paterson left the public consultation for the Suicide Prevention Plan by the Ministry of Health feeling frustrated and dissatisfied that she had not been given a genuine opportunity to represent women and children affected by mental illness.

"Two-thirds of kiwi women with perinatal depression will experience delays in diagnosis, which will have a significant impact on her and her children. An average of 75% of women with perinatal depression will not have access to funded holistic mental health services to help them to recover.”

Supporting Maternal Care Action Group’s combined submission with Parents of Children with Additional Needs (POCAN) is New Zealand President of the international organisation Business Professional Women Hellen Swales. Mrs Swales says it is imperative that when talking about suicide prevention that we support the mental health of an expectant or new mother:

“When we are wanting to reduce the growing rate of suicide in children and high rate of suicide in young people, during utero and those first three years of life are critical. They will form the foundation for that child’s own mental wellbeing and determine whether or not they are more at-risk of suicide. This is where prevention begins.” Mrs Swales also expresses concern that children and young people accessing Child and Adolescent Mental Health services are reportedly being poorly assessed or not assessed at all for their suicide risk.

The People’s Mental Health Review is appealing to the public to support their submission on the Suicide Prevention Plan. Their submission is calling for there to be an urgent funding increase for mental health services, a fully independent oversight of the mental health system (such as restoring the Mental Health Commission), an urgent independent inquiry into the structure and provision of mental health services and a national education programme so all New Zealanders could understand what mental health is. You can support their submission or make your own submission. Submissions close 11pm, Monday 26thJune.

ENDS

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