Mental health cut claim

THE highprofile Budget boost for mental health is a ‘‘cut in real terms’’ and services will continue to struggle, two unions say after crunching the numbers.

The Council of Trade Unions and the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists said the $224 million topup over four years announced in last month’s Budget was not a real increase.

‘‘When we took the figures apart to understand what the Government was going to pay for and where the extra money was, we found that it was all smoke and mirrors,’’ CTU economist Bill Rosenberg said.

He said mental health services would receive just $18 million in extra funding in 201718.

‘‘That’s an increase of about 1.2%, which works out to a cut in real terms.

‘‘A 7.3% funding increase is needed in 201718 just to maintain the mental health services we already have, given client numbers are increasing at about 5% a year, and more money is needed if the Government wants to improve access to services.’’

ASMS policy and research director Lyndon Keene said the Budget move was a ‘‘politicallymotivated, contrived response’’ to public concern over mental health services.

‘‘This analysis confirms what patients and their families, and the people working in mental health, have been saying for some time — the cupboards are bare.

‘‘Telling district health boards to do better simply isn’t good enough if the reality is they don’t have the resources they need.’’

Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said the analysis was ‘‘flawed’’.

‘‘Through Budget 2017, Vote Health received its biggest allocation in 11 years, a record $888 million. Although the funding provided to DHBs for mental health is ringfenced, individual DHBs can always choose to invest more.’’

eileen.goodwin@odt.co.nz