More mental health callouts

More people are turning up to emergency departments with mental health issues. Photo / File

More than 100 people turned up to Hawke's Bay emergency departments with mental health issues this June - a 40 per cent increase on five years ago.

Figures released under the Official Information Act show 103 people presented at emergency departments this June, up from 62 in June 2011. It was below the five-year high of 123 presentations in June 2013, however.

Meanwhile, 45 people were admitted to the mental health inpatient unit this June.

The number of callouts for adult mental health services fluctuated between 1283 and 2395 a year.

Provisional suicide statistics released at the start of October confirmed 29 suicides in Hawke's Bay for the year to June 30, one more than the previous year. The suicide rate in the Bay has almost doubled from 16 deaths in 2007.

Nationally, the number of people admitted to mental health inpatient units, presenting at emergency departments and calling adult mental health services increased over the five years. Meanwhile, the number of dedicated community beds dropped.

Labour's associate health spokesman David Clark believes the data shows funding for mental health services is drying up across the country.

But Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says the claims are wrong and funding is increasing annually.

"The trends are worrying," Dr Clark said. "Figures obtained by Labour show the number of people presenting to emergency departments as a result of mental health issues have more than tripled in the last four years.

"Alongside that callouts for adult mental health services have risen significantly and the number of mental health clients admitted to DHB mental health inpatient units is also increasing. At the same time there are fewer dedicated beds available for patients. Too often care is being devolved to the community without support and funding following."

Dr Coleman has said claims about funding drying up for mental health services were wrong.

"Funding for mental health and addiction services has steadily increased every year under this Government, increasing from $1.1 billion in 2008/09 to over $1.4 billion in 2014/15."

Dr Coleman said the Government had several mental health initiatives under way, including a recent $500,000 funding boost for initiatives targeted at rural communities.