The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand (the MHF) has today delivered a petition signed by over 16,000 concerned citizens. The petition calls on the Government to stop the Police’s hasty withdrawal from mental health callouts, until an alternative service is up and running.
The MHF’s chief executive, Shaun Robinson, says the 16,059 people who signed the petition are calling on the Minister for Mental Health and Minister of Police to step in and ensure people experiencing a mental health crisis don’t fall through the ailing mental health system’s cracks.
“The Police are a critical safety net for people in distress needing urgent access to mental health support. While they are not the right agency to respond to people in crisis, they have been filling this role for some time – and they can’t withdraw safely without an alternative service or funded, clear health plan in place,” Shaun Robinson, the MHF’s chief executive, says.
“The Government removing the support of the Police without an alternative in place is like trying to remove the engine of a car while it is still running. It’s dangerous, and likely to end in an accident.
“Since launching this petition we have heard from so many people, including people who work in the health system and people who have tried to access help in their time of need. There’s a resounding lack of confidence in the Government's current approach, and a palpable fear that tragedy will happen.”
The MHF estimates it will take three-five years and substantial government investment before the health system is ready to adequately take the Police’s place. The work to be carried out is vast, and includes growing the mental health workforce, creating purpose-built safe spaces within emergency departments, and building crisis hubs.
“When the United Kingdom’s police withdrew from mental health callouts, their government invested more than one billion pounds to ensure the transition ran smoothly. There's been no such allocation of funds here,” Mr Robinson says.
Last November, the Police announced a four-phase plan to reduce the time they spend on mental health related callouts. Phase two was rolled out in some regions last month. The MHF and others in the sector say the transition is causing confusion and there’s a lack of clarity around the process.
The Police will still respond to situations where there is an immediate and serious risk to life or safety, but the MHF says these types of callouts are only a fraction of the tens of thousands of mental health related callouts the Police attend each year.
“We’ll be watching to see how the Government responds to this issue,” Mr Robinson says.
"We'll be watching, and we’ll be advocating.”
Contact:
Mark Wilson
Senior Media Advisor
Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand
Ph: 021 998 949