David Farrar: Mental Health system improvements

The health system is slowly turning around, with key indicators improving. Still a long way to go, but the latest data on mental health targets is encouraging. Over the last year we have seen:

• Mental health and addiction-related stays in ED <6hrs from 63.5% to 66.8%

• Accessing specialist mental health and addiction services seen within three weeks of referral from 80.4% to 82.2%

• Accessing primary mental health and addiction services within one week from 80.8% to 83.4%

• 349 more mental health and addiction professionals trained

• Mental health and addiction ringfenced investment allocated to prevention and early intervention up from 23.9% target to 24.4%

The overall health system targets have mainly improved since the year to June 2024.

• Cancer treatment within 31 days from 83.5% to 86.8%

• 24 month immunisation rate from 76.5% to 82.6%

• Seen in ED within six hours from 71.2% down to 68.9%

• Specialist appt within four months from 61.5% to 65.9%

• Elective treatment within four months from 61.4% to 65.9%

So the ED waiting time is the only one not improved, and has to be the major focus going forward.

For those interested this was the record under Labour:

• Cancer treatment within 31 days from 88.6% to 83.5%, down 5.1 percentage points

• 24 month immunisation rate from 91.9% to 76.5%, down 15.4 percentage points

• Seen in ED within six hours from 89.5% down to 71.2%, down 18.3 percentage points

• Specialist appt within four months from 97.8% to 61.5%, down 36.3 percentage points

• Elective treatment within four months from 95.1% to 61.4%, down 33.7 percentage points

Labour’s legacy was a disaster.

David Farrar runs Curia Market Research, a specialist opinion polling and research agency, and the popular Kiwiblog where this article was sourced. He previously worked in the Parliament for eight years, serving two National Party Prime Ministers and three Opposition Leaders