The Mental Health Foundation is blaming extended wait times of mentally ill patients in emergency departments on under-investment.
ED staff at North Shore Hospital have laid a formal health and safety complaint to Te Whatu Ora, saying some people seeking urgent mental health support are being stranded for up to days at a time.
The report warns that staff and patients could be harmed if the problem is not urgently fixed.
Health Minister Andrew Little spoke to Māni Dunlop.
