Mental Health
'Stop undervaluing our loved ones' lives'
An Oamaru woman who lost her son to suicide says the government's draft suicide prevention plan is "spineless".
Alarm raised about principal's burnout rate
A survey by the teachers and principals union NZEI has found principals report 70 percent higher rates of burnout and more than double the rate of stress compared to the general population. Rural… Audio
Who’s helping the kids in Christchurch East?
In eastern Christchurch, poverty and earthquake stress have added trauma on trauma. We meet the people in the community trying to ensure the kids there are more than statistics. Video
Daphne Merkin - This Close to Happy
Part of the reason people are suspicious of severe depression is that we're all a little depressed, says writer Daphne Merkin. Audio
Mental health workers lodge equal pay claim
The government has no intention of conducting more large-scale pay equity talks, the Prime Minister says, as thousands who missed out on the care and support workers deal seek their own claim through… Audio
Community health workers take legal action for pay parity
Thousands of community mental health support workers who were left out of the historic pay equity claim for care and support workers, because the government wouldn't include them, are taking legal… Audio
Mental health workers on mission for equal pay
Thousands of care workers in the mental health sector say the government should treat them the same way as their colleagues in aged care and home support. Audio
Holly Walker - The Whole Intimate Mess
Dropping the traditional gender roles of 'caregiver' and 'breadwinner' would benefit everyone, says former Green MP Holly Walker, who's written a memoir The Whole Intimate Mess: Motherhood, Politics… Audio
Supreme Court upholds smokefree policy in mental health unit
The Supreme Court has ruled a hospital's ban on smoking in its mental health units does not breach patients' rights.
Student fights for better mental health education
A 21-year-old has collected nearly 10,000 signatures to push for improved mental health education in high schools, after struggling to seek help herself. Video
Close to 10,000 sign young woman's mental health petition
Lucy McSweeney, 21, took a petition to the steps of Parliament today calling for better mental health education in schools. Video, Audio
Govt under fire over mental health spending
The Health Minister has been forced to defend mental health services, as Labour, the Greens and the senior doctors' union question funding levels. Audio
Health Minister under fire over mental health services
Jonathan Coleman faced a barrage of questions and interruptions during a heated session at the health select committee today. Audio
Christchurch recovery a story of two halves, says Labour MP
A fifth of Christchurch's residents are stressed most or all of the time; and nearly three-quarters of the city's residents find that the stress they experience has a negative effect on them. The… Audio
Christchurch sitting on mental health 'time bomb'
More workers and services are desperately needed as children with earthquake-related PTSD become teenagers, a local doctor says. Audio
'Significant' increase in funding needed for mental health sector - social worker
The government is out of touch with how broken the mental health system is, according to an Auckland social worker.
Ministry defends mental health follow-ups after report
District health boards are discharging acute mental health patients to caravan parks as they struggle to cope with hospital units which are often beyond capacity. Dr John Crawshaw, the Ministry of… Audio
Government called out of touch on mental health system
Jonathan Coleman says the country's DHB's need to lift their game in the wake of an Auditor General's report into the mental health system. The report has criticised the DHBs for discharging acute… Audio
'Urgent' changes needed in mental health care
New claims of a crisis in acute mental health services have followed a critical report by the Auditor-General.
Mental health needs 'urgent attention'
The Auditor General's report into the care mental health patients receive showed not a single District Health Board met follow up targets, and there was a poor availability of suitable accommodation.
…