Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Action Plan 2017–2021

Summary

The Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Action Plan is part of an outcomes approach. It contributes to achieving the vision of the New Zealand Health Strategy. For mental health and addiction, this means enabling people to thrive and experience wellbeing wherever they live and whatever their circumstances.

Together with the Mental Health and Wellbeing Outcome Framework and the Commissioning Framework, it will help us reshape our system to centre on people and what matters to them.

Our workforce is our most valuable resource, and achieving our vision depends on a capable and motivated workforce that works with people and their families and whānau to get the best outcomes.

This Action Plan recognises the importance of a combined effort to address the social determinants of health by working across health, justice and social sectors to ensure equitable positive outcomes for all New Zealanders.

It includes actions to develop a workforce with the right skills, knowledge, competencies and attitudes needed to design and deliver integrated and innovative responses.

The actions outlined in this action plan will support the development of the primary health care, community and specialist workforce to be well equipped, integrated, competent and capable to focus on improving health and wellbeing. It will guide decisions about investment and resourcing for the next five years and is relevant to all people working to improve outcomes for those with mental health and addiction issues.