4. RAHUI KATENE (Māori Party—Te Tai Tonga) Link to this
to the Associate Minister of Health
Is he aware that a recent study of GP consultations in New Zealand revealed that opportunities for discussion about the misuse of alcohol and other drugs were not acted upon in one-quarter of the consultations, and what steps will the Government take to address the service gaps in treatment services identified by the Law Commission?
Hon PETER DUNNE (Associate Minister of Health) Link to this
I am aware of the study the member refers to. It was a study of some 15 general practitioners, and it was published in July 2009. The issues that have been identified are under action by the Government, particularly in the area of addressing service delivery gaps. Let me give the member some examples. We are investing approximately $22 million in the action plan to tackle methamphetamine. We are providing more training to front-line staff in other Government agencies on alcohol and drug screening programmes and brief intervention, and more work is being done on that topic in the area of primary health care during the current year. Finally, the Alcohol Advisory Council (ALAC) has been working particularly strongly in this area. I understand that it has been supporting some pretty good examples of work in this field by primary health organisations such as the Whanganui Regional Primary Health Organisation, which is working very effectively.
What efforts have been made to consult Māori providers of substance misuse and addiction services to ensure that issues are understood and care is delivered in a culturally appropriate manner by all health care professionals?
Both the ministry and I meet regularly with Māori alcohol and drug service providers to discuss that very point. It is also under action by a number of the district health boards in terms of the specific programmes that they advance. One of the pieces of good news that the member may be interested in is the recent public education campaign being mounted by ALAC where a number of advertisements identify particular drinking behaviours; it has resulted in a 40 percent increase in self-referrals to the Alcohol and Drug Helpline.
Is he aware that the prevalence of severe alcohol-related problems in Māori is more than twice that in non-Māori, and that Māori are four times more likely than non-Māori to die of an alcohol-related condition; and what specific initiatives will be introduced to ensure that Māori are a priority population for identifying and managing substance misuse?
There are a number of measures that I could refer to. There are kaupapa Māori alcohol and other drug addiction services, such as those provided by the Te Waireka programme in Hawke’s Bay, Rongo Ātea in Hamilton, and Te Utuhina Manaakitanga Trust in Rotorua. There is also a range of iwi-based non-governmental organisation services in the northern, midland, central, and southern district health board areas. The national Alcohol and Drug Helpline has dedicated Māori staff available to work for it.
Hon Jim AndertonDoes the Minister believe that by reducing the availability and promotion of alcohol, we would reduce the need for alcohol treatment services; if so, will he support significant steps to reduce the availability and promotion of alcohol?
The Government will be announcing shortly its response to the Law Commission’s report on the sale of liquor, and the member will have to wait until that happens. But on the linkage he purports between the availability of alcohol and the need for treatment services, I can say that that point has been argued for many years. What needs to be borne in mind is that adequate treatment services need to be put in place. This Government, through the programmes that I outlined in response to the primary question, is doing just that. We will continue to improve the range of services available.
Iain Lees-Galloway Link to this
How do cuts to the St Mark’s Adult Drug and Alcohol Treatment Centre in Blenheim, the Care NZ clinic in Ōtāhuhu, and the Ashburn Clinic in Dunedin and the potential closure of the Hawke’s Bay addiction centre address the gaps in treatment services identified by the Law Commission?
We have to look at the range of services provided across the country. Services need to be in areas where there are needs to be fulfilled. This is an ongoing issue. I am confident that the programmes that we have in place and the work that is under way will ensure that the seven recommendations made by the Law Commission in its report are given effect once those final decisions are announced.
What evidence does the Minister have that reducing the promotion and availability of, and accessibility to, alcohol would not reduce the medical services required to treat people affected by alcohol abuse?
I do not have the evidence immediately to hand in the House today, but the point is that even though the level of alcohol consumption in New Zealand has been declining on a per capita basis for some time, there still are people who have significant alcohol and drug related problems. We still have a responsibility to provide effective treatment services to deal with them, and we will do so.