Primary mental health
Better, sooner, more convenient health services is a priority area for the New Zealand government. Primary care will continue to have a key role in ensuring this goal is met. Within this broader health goal, primary mental health and addiction service provision is an area of focus for the Ministry of Health. Primary mental health and addiction is also viewed by the Te Pou Board as a key component of future mental health and addiction service delivery.
Responding to mental health and addiction issues has long been a core part of the work of primary care teams. The Ministry of Health is now providing specific funding to all primary health organisations (PHOs) in New Zealand to deliver services to those people in their population with mild to moderate mental health and addiction issues. The workforce delivering these services is continuing to grow and diversify thus creating workforce development opportunities and challenges.
Te Pou is delivering a number of activities that supports the development of this workforce.
About our work
Primary mental health website
Te Pou, on behalf of the Ministry of Health, has developed Te Pae Kaiāwhā, a website dedicated to supporting mental health and addiction services in primary care.
Visit www.primarymentalhealth.co.nz to:
- see what’s new in the field of primary mental health and addiction
- search a database of primary mental health and addiction activities and initiatives currently being delivered in New Zealand
- read profiles about PHOs working to deliver quality primary mental health and addiction services
- find information on useful tools and resources to support best practice
- find out more about the unique mental health and addiction needs of New Zealand’s diverse population.
Trailblazers
Established in the UK in 1996, this GP-led initiative aims to strengthen relationships and trust between primary and secondary mental health specialists to support service users to have their needs met in a variety of settings.
Te Pou will continue to provide support to New Zealand pairs who participated in the International Trailblazers programme.
To follow the progress of our primary health activity, subscribe to our e-bulletin or for more information contact Denise Whitfield.
Page last updated: 1 July 2010
Visit the primary mental health website,
Te Pae Kaiāwhā.
NEW: Two new primary mental health initiatives profiled
This month, the primary mental health website Te Pae Kaiāwhā is profiling the work of Whanganui Regional PHO and MidCentral DHB.
An innovative and futuristic approach to primary mental health, with a very strong focus on improving access, is the aim of Whanganui Regional PHO. Read about their innovative and successful ABC alcohol screening programme and their strong whanau ora approach to meeting the needs of their community.
MidCentral DHB's shared care programme, a partnership between their community mental health service and GP practices, is providing free support to people to manage their own mental wellbeing within their community environment. Read about how this programme, being delivered across four PHOs, is meeting the needs of people using this service as well as the general practitioners and practice nurses providing the support.
Read more about the initiatives on the Te Pae Kaiāwhā website.