Govt ‘should be ashamed’
Suicide rate, ‘spineless’ prevention strategy slammed
A MOTHER who lost her Dunedin son to suicide is sick of seeing history repeat itself.
Patrice Harrex, of Oamaru, yesterday slammed the Governmentled draft suicide prevention strategy as ‘‘spineless’’.
Mrs Harrex was spurred to become a mental health community worker after her son Brad Anderson (25) committed suicide in 2010 two days after leaving Dunedin Hospital, where he told emergency psychiatric services he would take his own life.
The coroner’s report said he received ‘‘suboptimal care’’, but Mrs Harrex blamed underfunding, not mental health staff.
As part of her continued fight to stop others taking their own lives, she delivered the Public Service Association (PSA) submission on the strategy to the Ministry of Health’s Dunedin office yesterday morning.
Mrs Harrex said the Government had not done enough to prevent others from taking their own lives.
‘‘The suicide prevention strategy is spineless without the Government admitting we have a crisis, agreeing to hold an urgent independent inquiry and a commitment to fund what it identifies as needed.
‘‘I have seen too many people and heard too many similar stories about people being sent away and then taking their own lives.
‘‘We have one of the highest suicide rates in the world and the is people everywhere feeling the same way.
‘‘We have got to do something about it.’’
Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said the Government did not agree there was a need for an inquiry.
‘‘Overall, the sector provides highquality mental health services for New Zealanders — from prevention through to primary care and specialist services.
‘‘But there’s always more to do. There’s increased demand for services, which is why we’ve increased mental health funding by $300 million and in addition to this in Budget 2017 we committed a further $224 million over four years.’’
Ministry of Health director of mental health Dr John Crawshaw said it had received about 500 written submissions on the strategy.
Agencies would look at the feedback received and advise the incoming government after the election, Dr Crawshaw said.
YesWeCare.nz campaign coordinator Simon Oosterman said a lack of clear targets and a bold vision undermined the good components of the strategy.
‘‘We should applaud the plan’s recognition of the importance of quality health and social services, affordable, quality housing and decent jobs.
‘‘Yet it doesn’t provide any recommendations on how to achieve them,’’ Mr Oosterman said. In his memory. . . Patrice Harrex, accompanied by union organiser Jon Henning, delivers the Public Service Association submission on the draft suicide prevention strategy to the Ministry of Health’s Dunedin office in Moray Pl yesterday morning. Left: Mrs Harrex’s son, Brad Anderson.
Government should be ashamed of that.’’
She described her son, who was working as an IT consultant for the University of Otago when he died, as a handsome and intelligent man.
‘‘When he walked into a room he had that Xfactor.
‘‘He was the only one who couldn’t see how amazing he was.
‘‘Right now, this minute, there