Last August the Southern District Health Board commissioned an independent review of mental health and addiction healthcare and in recent weeks the review team, led by Dr Clive Bensemann, has held a series of consultation meetings.
"The future of safe and sustainable mental health services for the population of Otago and Southland, and future decisions about the Wakari site will not be directly affected by the announcement to disestablish the 20 DHBs, and to establish Health New Zealand," SDHB chief executive Chris Fleming said.
"The review will be completed and SDHB will initiate the implementation of the recommendations and ensure that these transition to the new health structures in due course."
Currently the commissioning of mental health services is spread across 20 DHBs, the Ministry of Health, and about 30 primary health organisations.
"This makes it difficult to roll out improved approaches, or to have certainty that the scope and quality of services will be the same in different parts of New Zealand," Health Minister Andrew Little said.
In future, services would be co-ordinated and commissioned by the soon-to-be-created organisation Health New Zealand, in partnership with a new Maori health authority.
"Detailed design work that will be completed during the transition will include engaging with mental health and addiction professionals, consumers, whanau, and communities on how we can best ensure the reformed health system promotes better mental health care."
The SDHB has long considered the mental health review one of its most important pieces of work, and last month outgoing executive Lisa Gestro said reform of the system was the board’s biggest challenge and biggest opportunity.
The board has also been considering the future of its biggest mental health facility at Wakari, large parts of which are badly in need of repair and are considered unsafe and/or not fit for purpose.
"Any decision about facilities have always required a robust business case to be developed and prioritised through the National Capital Committee process," Mr Fleming said
"Nothing would have changed from this perspective."
