On Tuesday, Stuff published an article by Helen Harvey highlighting the ongoing issue of access to psychologists in New Zealand. You can read the whole article here if you missed it.
In a nutshell, there still aren’t enough of us to go around, wait-times are too long, and we have far too few funded options. Dr Malcolm Stewart of the NZ College of Clinical Psychologists hits the nail on the head when he says, “The whole mental health system needs an overhaul. I don’t know if the system has ever really met the need.’’
We went on strike for a whole year trying to advocate for an increase in our workforce numbers so we could create the conditions we need to meet demand, but all we got was a pay-rise and a working group. No real change. None of us are in it for the money of course, so we keep leaving. The official story is always one of moving on to greener pastures, and we usually are. But that’s not usually the whole story. We aren’t allowed to talk in public about what happens in the pastures of DHB-land. It’s a bit like joining Fight Club that way. So it is good to see a journalist taking this up in the media again.
Harvey writes, “Following on from Like Minds Like Mine, a Government funded public awareness campaign, there has been a lot more acceptance of mental health issues and more people seeking out psychological assistance, Stewart says. “And more and more people are seeking non-pharmacological ways of dealing with issues. Good therapy, amongst other things, often helps people to hold onto hope and to believe that change is possible. This can be very protective of life and helps people believe that they can be part of changing their own lives. It is often harder for people to feel this optimism and agency if their treatment is mostly just medication.’’ One in five New Zealanders live with mental illness and/or addiction each year, Health and Disability Commissioner figures reveal. And it is estimated that nearly half of the population will live with mental distress and/or addiction at some point during their lifetime. The system is creaking under the weight and many are blaming years of inaction in the area of mental health.”
Read the full article here:
New Zealand’s Psychological Crisis Putting Lives at Risk
Helen Harvey, Stuff, 26 Jan 2021. https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/122695066/new-zealands-psychological-crisis-putting-lives-at-risk
