"It provides people with free and fast access to a registered mental health clinician," he said.
The new positions are to be established to work alongside The Doctors Napier and Hastings, Tamatea Medical Centre, Maraenui Medical Centre, Carlyle Medical, Hastings Health Centre, Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga and Queen Street Practice in Wairoa.
Hastings Health Centre chief executive officer Andrew Lesperance said doctors have seen more people with mental health related concerns since the onset of Covid-19.
"With daily news covering the international pandemic, some find it more difficult to cope and the new mental health service providers will be ideally positioned to provide advice and support for those needing brief interventions," he said.
"Patients will benefit from an on-the-day service, especially when the service provider is able to provide brief interventions and skills that assist the person suffering from anxiety or something similar to deal with their issue.
"Learning to manage anxiety or stress will have a flow-on effect as the mind and body are connected."
Health improvement practitioners and health coaches will be based within practices, meaning GPs and nurses can offer the patient the option of seeing the most appropriate person in the same location.
Community support workers will aim to provide additional support in the community for individuals and their whānau to help them achieve their wellness goals.
The new staff members, who were welcomed into their new roles with a pōwhiri on Monday, will undergo training and be ready to support patients at their assigned practices by mid-February.
While available to only a select number of practices initially, the goal is to have these services available in all Hawke's Bay general practices within three years.
