Federation welcomes the Government’s Focus on Wellbeing

Media Release

31 May 2018

Federation of Primary Health Welcomes the Government’s Focus on Wellbeing

The Federation of Primary Health Aotearoa New Zealand (the Federation) is the largest interdisciplinary primary health membership organisation in New Zealand. Our purpose is to provide national leadership on key issues affecting primary health.

The 2019 Wellbeing Budget has a significant focus on mental health particularly within primary health settings, a boost to Whānau Ora programmes to improve primary healthcare outcomes, an increase in funding to support a Pacific Health workforce pipeline and suicide prevention services.

Hon. Steve Chadwick, Chair of the Federation, stated “We believe that prioritising and investing in primary health will have the biggest impact on improving health and wellbeing outcomes.”

“The He Ara Oranga (the report of the Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction) showed that we needed a renewed focus on mental health and addiction in New Zealand. Primary health is where people with emerging issues, or mild to moderate mental health or addiction needs come to and where they can be best served.”

“We support evidence based primary health initiatives like Te Tumu Waiora where trained mental health workers can use a range of talking therapies to provide immediate support that is accessible. We also recognise that our workforce has to be sustained, supported and developed to be able to provide these services.”

“We believe that prioritising and investing in primary health will have the biggest impact on improving health and wellbeing.”

Hon Steve Chadwick continued on to say, “It’s really hard to argue with the principle of high quality and sustainable primary health care being available and accessible to all and being at the centre of a national health policy.”

“The Federation is focused on delivering on our purpose to provide national leadership on key issues affecting primary health in New Zealand and we are looking forward to working with funders, agencies and primary health members and providers to develop New Zealanders’ health and wellbeing.”

ENDS

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