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Mental health initiative welcomed
9 September 2019
A primary health care initiative aimed at boosting mental health care provision in general practices has been welcomed by the senior doctors’ union.
“Community-based services are an excellent way of enabling early intervention as part of the work under way to improve New Zealand’s mental health service,” says Angela Belich, Acting Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS).
Ms Belich was commenting on the announcement of a $6 million funding package for 22 general practices to provide a no-referral mental health service (https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/115626117/mental-health-services-gets-6m-funding-boost-prime-minister-announces).
“Community-based initiatives like this, which overcome barriers to care with new approaches and new funding streams, are essential.
“The Government must also address the long-standing shortage in the psychiatrist workforce in order to improve mental health outcomes. The national workforce shortfall across all specialties is estimated to be 22%.”
ENDS
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