Government Mental Health Targets Show Progress, Highlight Regional Gaps

First Quarter Report Reveals Nationwide Success, But Urgent Work Needed in Key Regions.

Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey has unveiled the Government’s first quarterly report on mental health and addiction targets, showing encouraging progress nationwide but significant challenges in certain regions.

The report reveals that 80% of New Zealanders are now receiving access to specialist mental health and addiction services within three weeks, a milestone Minister Doocey called “hugely commendable” and a foundation to build upon.

“This is an important first baseline, helping us to measure and drive improvements in mental health services across the country,” Doocey said.

Regional and Demographic Challenges

Despite national progress, significant disparities were highlighted in regional data:

• Greater Wellington: Only 68.8% of adults were seen for a specialist mental health appointment within three weeks, well below the national target.
• Under-25s in Nelson Marlborough: Only 48% accessed specialist appointments within the target time frame, a concerning gap in youth mental health support.

Emergency department wait times for mental health and addiction support remain another pressing issue. Nationally, only 63% of patients were seen within six hours, falling short of the 95% target.

• Greater Wellington: 35% of ED mental health patients were seen within six hours.
• Counties Manukau: 40% of patients met the target, highlighting urgent needs in urban areas.

Primary Care Accessibility

The Government’s Access and Choice Programme—providing free mental health and addiction support at over 650 locations nationwide—met its target of 80% service delivery within one week. However, some regions struggled:

• Southern Region: Around 66% met the one-week target.
• Bay of Plenty: Around 70% received timely access.

Future Initiatives and Accountability

To address these gaps, Minister Doocey emphasized bolstering emergency department resources with peer support specialists and improving targeted services for youth and underserved regions.

“Accountability is vital,” Doocey stated. “These targets enable us to pinpoint where the mental health and addiction system needs the most support and drive faster, more equitable access to care.”

Looking Ahead

The Government plans to use this data to prioritize funding and policy decisions, aiming to improve outcomes for all New Zealanders. Enhanced regional initiatives and continued monitoring will focus on closing gaps for vulnerable populations, particularly youth and emergency department patients.

This first report sets the stage for a targeted approach to better mental health care nationwide while reinforcing the need for systemic and regional improvements.