Respite centre first initiative
A DUNEDIN mental health respite centre which opened yesterday is the first in a series of initiatives planned to improve southern mental health services.
The innercity home, intended for shortterm residents, has five bedrooms and will be run on contract from Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) by mental health support workers employed by community service provider Pact.
Before being scrapped as part of the Government’s health reforms, the former Southern District Health Board commissioned ‘‘Time for Change — Te Hurihanga’’, an independent report on the provision of mental health services in Otago and Southland.
Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand Southern (HNZS) mental health, addictions and intellectual disability executive director Toni Gutschlag said the new facility was the first of several such houses planned for the region, and was also one of several initiatives being rolled out as part of the former board’s response to the Time For Change report.
‘‘To see the beginning of the implementation of all the planning work which has gone on since the ‘‘Time for Change — Te Hurihanga’’ report came out is wonderful, to see the services up and running and available to support people.’’
The home is intended for people who are experiencing a mental health crisis but whose need would not meet the threshold for hospital admission, or would be more appropriately treated in a residential setting.
Dunedin formerly had just a single such bed, but Ms Gutschlag said it was seldom used as it was in an unsuitable setting.
‘‘It was in a small unit that wasn’t really fit for purpose, and increasing the number of people who can be supported in this model allows them to use a facility which will just be much better for them therapeutically.’’
Similar facilities were being considered for Waitaki, Queenstown, Central Otago and Invercargill.
HNZS had developed a plan which focused on honouring ‘‘the themes and intent’’ of the report rather than individual specific recommendations, she said.
‘‘There is more to come and we expect that we will be able to make further announcements in the weeks and months ahead.’’
Among the recommendations in the report was that Wakari Hospital, which provides many of the south’s mental health services but which is largely run down and unfit for purpose, be closed.
Ms Gutschlag said HNZS was still considering tenders for the provision of the services offered in Ward 11 at Wakari, a clinical rehabilitation and overflow ward with 16 beds.
‘‘We want to create more communityfocused services, but these processes do take some time.
‘‘We did not identify a successful provider through an RFP [request for proposal] but we are in negotiations at the moment and I am optimistic that we will have additional services set up in Dunedin and across Southern to assist people to live in the community with appropriate support and not be stuck in hospital.’’
Pact general manager Thomas Cardy said the organisation was delighted to offer the new service in Dunedin.
‘‘We anticipate it will help a number of people who otherwise might have been admitted or sent home to access shortterm support with clinical oversight in collaboration with Te Whatu Ora Southern mental health teams and the emergency psychiatric service,’’ he said in a statement.