Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey (left), Health Minister Simeon Brown and Arataki Ministries peer support specialist Reuban Carpenter cut the ribbon at the opening of Manaia House in Whangārei on Friday. Photo / Denise Piper
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey (left), Health Minister Simeon Brown and Arataki Ministries peer support specialist Reuban Carpenter cut the ribbon at the opening of Manaia House in Whangārei on Friday. Photo / Denise Piper
On Friday, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey officially opened Manaia House, next to Whangārei’s Laurie Hall Park, as a new community mental health and addictions facility.
The project has been nearly 10 years in the making, with fit-out work having to be extensively redone after a burst pipe flooded two floors in October 2023.
The project cost $21.6m, including $19.5m from the Government and the balance funded by then-Northland District Health Board and other contributors.
Brown said the facility had 75 consultation rooms for Northland’s community mental health and addiction services, which were previously spread across four locations in Whangārei.
“$19.5m has been invested by the Government into this purpose-built, centrally located facility, which has been designed to support contemporary models of care in a modern, welcoming environment,” he said.
“Modern, reliable health infrastructure is a top priority for the Government and this new facility will enhance mental health services in the northern region, improve accessibility and free up much-needed space at Whangārei Hospital where some services have been operating from.”
The ground floor will accommodate adult and older people’s services, the middle floor will be for children’s services, and the top floor will accommodate about 250 staff.
Doocey said as Mental Health Minister, he had heard how fragmented the mental healthcare system was and people didn’t know where to go when they needed help.
“For people who report unmet need, a quarter say they don’t know where to get help and a third say it takes too long to be seen.
Whangārei District Mayor Vince Cocurullo (left), Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey, Health Minister Simeon Brown and Health NZ pou takawaenga (Māori health lead) Malcolm Robson attend the opening of Manaia House on Friday. Photo / Denise Piper
“Buildings and services like Manaia House will be a game-changer, so people know where to get support.”
Doocey admitted the new facility was a consolidation of existing facilities and did not necessarily mean new clinical roles.
But Health NZ Te Tai Tokerau group director of operations Alex Pimm said bringing all the services together under one roof created efficiencies, especially when patients needed to access more than one service.
Manaia House also meant there was more room to grow staff numbers and having a new facility made recruiting easier, he said.
Having the new facility in the centre of Whangārei’s CBD helped put mental health and addiction services in a more positive light than when the services were tucked away in crumbling buildings, Pimm said.
“It’s important to have mental health services prominent in the city, not only to increase access, but because it lifts the profile of mental health and addiction services – that’s one way of reducing the barriers to access and reduces stigma.”
Manaia House will be open to patients and their families from May 12.
Denise Piper is a news reporter for the Northern Advocate focusing on health and business. She has more than 20 years in journalism and is passionate about covering stories that make a difference.
