28 July 2009
Media Statement

Coleman ignores mental health services

Mental health services have fallen off the Government’s radar, Labour Health spokesperson Ruth Dyson said.

“Associate Minister of Health Jonathan Coleman today claimed the Government had scrapped a target aimed at improving mental health services because that’s what the sector wanted.

“That statement completely ignores the fact that the New Zealand Nurses Organisation and the National Maori PHO coalition both criticised the decision to dump the mental health target.

“However Jonathan Coleman’s lack of knowledge about this subject is hardly surprising given that since becoming Associate Minister of Health he has remained virtually silent on the subject of mental health.

“His silence on mental health issues, millions of dollars being cut from the roll-out of the Mental Health Blueprint and the dumping of the improving mental health services target is a sign that the National Government is failing New Zealanders living with a mental illness.

“While in Opposition Jonathan Coleman repeatedly called for the Government to put more money into mental health. Now as Associate Minister of Health with responsibility for mental health he has silently stood by while mental health services have been ignored by the National Government.

“Today Jonathan Coleman issued a joint statement on eating disorders. This is just the fith time in eight months the Associate Minister has publicly spoken in regarding to his health portfolio.

“The Associate Minister’s silence is a worrying sign that National has simply put mental health services in the too hard basket,” Ruth Dyson said.

ENDS