Quake adds to trauma for Cantabs

Canterbury’s primary health organisation is giving doctors extra funding and employing more staff to deal with retraumatised patients after the November 14 earthquake.

Pegasus Health general manager Vince Barry said the organisation was providing extra funding to GPs. He said it often took up to two weeks for the demand on mental health services to increase after a disaster, but Canterbury doctors were already reporting increased numbers of 2011 earthquake ‘‘veterans who were ‘‘retraumatised’’ by last week’s earthquake.

The Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) provides specialist mental health services, but GPs deal with a large chunk of the region’s mental health work.

Practices have counsellors available, and when demand increases Pegasus outsources to the private sector. GPs can also do extended consultations with their patients, and claim the extra costs from Pegasus.

The organisation has funding put away for a rainy day, and Barry said he hoped it would not have to request more money from the Ministry of Health.

‘‘We think we can actually manage within the resources.’’

Pegasus is employing more staff in the coming weeks to increase the general practices’ capacity in Christchurch. It also sent a mental health nurse practitioner to help at the clinic in Kaikoura.

‘‘Really what we’ve got to look at now is what happens over the next two months, whether we need to put more resource in again,’’ said Barry.

Association of Psychotherapists (NZAP) president and Christchurch resident Sheila Larsen said the affected region needed dedicated emergency counselling.

‘‘The Government needs to make it clear to clients and professionals that funding is freely available, as uncertainty about accessing needed treatment can further add to stress and anxiety,’’ she said. ‘‘The experience of many Christchurch-based psychotherapists tells us that the ongoing psychological effects of this devastating series of quakes will be felt for years to come.

Last year, 37 per cent more people in Canterbury entered mental health services than in the year before the 2010 and 2011 quakes.

Larsen said other factors associated with the earthquakes also caused psychological trauma, such as losses of people and property, difficulties dealing with the Earthquake Commission and insurance, rebuilding homes, changes in work or school situations, and stress on relationships.

‘‘It is important that people across the regions impacted by this quake are able to easily access immediate and ongoing counselling support, from Wellington to the Canterbury region.’’

She said people in Canterbury suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder may find themselves reliving past anxiety and trauma from the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes.

Pegasus Health funds a 24/7 quake support line – 0800 777 846.