A major report by the Drug Foundation has called for the funding of drug support services to be doubled — saying the sector remains chronically understaffed.
The report suggests specialist support capacity should be doubled and that kaupapa Māori care, overdose prevention and overdose reversal medicines, in particular, were too hard to come by. Over a dozen recommendations were made in the paper.
Services such as needle exchanges and drug checking were a critical part of holding a public health response to addiction, according to Drug Foundation director Sarah Helm.
However, coverage for the health services remained patchy throughout the country.
“We’re chronically understaffed and it’s getting worse — we have clinicians leaving the country and we also have an ageing workforce,” Helm said.
“It really should be easier for somebody to get help, than it is for them to land up in hospital or with a conviction. Sadly that’s not currently the case.”
Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey told 1News that mental health and addiction funding increased by $185 million in this year’s Budget, with another announcement set to come.
“I’m gonna be making an announcement in the next couple of weeks. Broadly what we need to do is increase access to timely mental health and addiction support.
“A big part of that is going to be growing the workforce.”
Doocey added: “We have a health-based approach at the moment. We also have a criminal justice approach and they can work complementary together.”
Police estimated that drug harm costs the country $1.9 billion per year.