05 Feb 2026
8 months ago
1301 views
Health Ministers Simeon Brown and Matt Doocey have welcomed the ratification of a new collective agreement for approximately 670 psychologists employed by Health New Zealand, following a vote by APEX members. The agreement includes pay increases of 2.5% in the first year and 2% in the second year, along with expanded professional development opportunities and a new salary step for senior expertise. This agreement aims to provide greater workforce certainty and support psychologists in delivering quality mental health care to patients nationwide.
03 Feb 2026
8 months ago
1327 views
The first phase of delivering healthcare closer to home has been completed in six rural communities, improving urgent and after-hours care through initiatives like point-of-care testing, ultrasound, telehealth pharmacy services, and integrated paramedic support. Budget 2025 allocated $164 million to expand these improvements to 70 rural locations, ensuring 98% of New Zealanders can access urgent care within an hour’s drive. This approach emphasizes locally led solutions and workforce strengthening, including rural training hubs and a new medical school, to enhance healthcare access and outcomes in remote areas.
02 Feb 2026
8 months ago
1448 views
A new coordinated rural hospital medicine and specialist GP training programme has launched on the West Coast to strengthen the home-grown rural health workforce by increasing registrar numbers from two to three to eight to ten. The programme, accredited to deliver Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine training, offers six to twelve-month placements with strong supervision, support, and aims to retain trainees long-term by fostering community connections. This initiative aligns with the National Rural Health Strategy’s goal of ensuring accessible healthcare for all New Zealanders, particularly those in rural areas.
01 Feb 2026
8 months ago
1335 views
New Zealand has expanded who can assess, diagnose, and start treatment for ADHD to improve timely access, allowing specialist GPs and nurse practitioners to manage adults and certain nurse practitioners to treat children under 18. Previously, only specialists could prescribe ADHD medicines, but now prescribing rules have been widened, removing prior restrictions and easing access to medication. These changes, along with removing renewal requirements for funded stimulant medicines, aim to connect more people with support earlier and positively impact education, employment, relationships, and mental health.
30 Jan 2026
8 months ago
1643 views
A new $200 million, 10,000-square-metre facility at Auckland's Mason Clinic has opened, significantly enhancing New Zealand's forensic mental health services with 60 replacement inpatient beds and modern infrastructure. This expansion aims to improve safety, treatment quality, and long-term care for patients while supporting staff and protecting the community. The project is part of a broader nearly $1 billion national investment to modernize mental health facilities, including additional beds funded in Budget 2025 to further improve access and outcomes.
29 Jan 2026
9 months ago
1285 views
Health and Mental Health Ministers Simeon Brown and Matt Doocey report ongoing efforts to support storm-affected communities through coordinated health services, including a recovery team and targeted mental health support embedded in local emergency groups. Health New Zealand is collaborating with local authorities to manage environmental health risks and monitor vulnerable, isolated populations, while government agencies oversee essential infrastructure to maintain access to care. Despite the challenges, health services remain operational, with a strong commitment to providing care, addressing emerging risks, and supporting those grieving from the disaster.
23 Jan 2026
9 months ago
1720 views
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey officially opened Te Piringa Āhuru, a new Crisis Recovery Café in South Auckland, providing a calm, peer-led, non-clinical space for people experiencing mental health or addiction challenges. The café, run by Ember, offers peer support workers who connect individuals to community services and provide empathetic understanding from lived experience, enhancing hope and recovery. This initiative is part of a broader government mental health plan to expand crisis recovery cafés nationwide, increase frontline workers, and improve crisis response services.
23 Jan 2026
9 months ago
1428 views
Four new community-based forensic step-down beds will open early in March through a partnership between Ember Services Limited and Health NZ, accelerating the government's Mental Health Plan commitment. Funded by Budget 2025, these beds aim to improve access to specialist forensic services, supported by community teams and specialist staff to ensure patient and public safety while facilitating gradual reintegration and reducing relapse risks. This initiative complements existing facilities and forms part of a broader strategy to enhance mental health support, frontline staffing, and crisis response.
23 Jan 2026
9 months ago
1429 views
Four new community-based forensic step-down beds will open early in March through a partnership between Ember Services Limited and Health NZ, accelerating the government's Mental Health Plan commitment. Funded by Budget 2025, these beds aim to provide faster access to specialist forensic services, supported by community teams and specialist staff, to safely reintegrate patients transitioning from inpatient forensic care. This initiative enhances bed capacity alongside a new acute forensic inpatient facility in Waikato and forms part of a broader strategy to improve mental health support, frontline staffing, and crisis response.
22 Jan 2026
9 months ago
1526 views
Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey announced the launch of the first four mental health co-response teams in Canterbury, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, and Counties Manukau, pairing mental health workers with Police to better respond to 111 mental distress calls. These teams aim to provide immediate support and reduce reliance on criminal justice responses, improving outcomes by decreasing emergency department visits and use of Mental Health Act powers. Funded by a $28 million Budget 2025 investment, the initiative expands on previous pilots and is part of a broader government strategy to enhance crisis response and mental health services nationwide.
22 Jan 2026
9 months ago
1452 views
The Government has successfully implemented peer support services in eight emergency departments, including Tauranga Hospital, five months ahead of schedule, fulfilling its two-year commitment. These services, provided by specialists with lived experience, help individuals in mental health crisis feel heard, supported, and connected to community care, improving long-term outcomes. Minister for Mental Health Matt Doocey emphasizes the importance of strengthening the peer support workforce to enhance New Zealand's mental health system.
07 Jan 2026
9 months ago
1649 views
The frontline mental health and addiction workforce in New Zealand has grown by over 11% under the current Government, resulting in significantly reduced vacancy rates across key professions such as social workers, nurses, and counsellors. This workforce expansion has improved access to mental health services, with more than 83% of people receiving primary support within one week and over 82% accessing specialist services within three weeks. The Government’s focused mental health workforce plan, implemented in response to previous challenges, is delivering faster support and aims to continue this positive momentum into 2026.
06 Jan 2026
9 months ago
1413 views
New Zealand’s Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey announced increased funding for four grassroots organisations to improve early access to mental health support, focusing on prevention and removing barriers. The funded projects include expanded early intervention, digital support services, workplace mental health programs, and culturally tailored assistance for Asian communities, collectively reaching thousands nationwide. This initiative, supported by the Mental Health Innovation Fund, aims to reduce wait times and ensure timely, appropriate mental health care across diverse communities.
18 Dec 2025
10 months ago
1581 views
The Government is enhancing mental health support by adding 31 specialist beds at Manor Park Private Hospital, including 15 for adults with complex long-term needs and 16 psychogeriatric beds for secure and transitional care. This expansion aims to provide faster access to appropriate care, reduce hospital stays, ease emergency department pressure, and improve patient outcomes in the Hutt Valley and Capital Coast regions. The initiative is part of a broader mental health plan focused on better infrastructure, more frontline workers, and improved crisis response to deliver compassionate, effective care.
17 Dec 2025
10 months ago
1527 views
New data for Q1 2025/26 shows significant improvements in New Zealand’s mental health and addiction access targets, with faster access to primary and specialist services and shorter emergency department stays compared to Q1 2024/25. Progress is evident nationally and across Māori, Pacific, and Asian communities, though shorter ED stays remain the biggest challenge, with efforts focused on supporting under-performing health districts. Minister Matt Doocey emphasizes the goal of equitable access to mental health support nationwide, crediting frontline workers for these advancements.