Activities and initiatives database

“There has been this overwhelming feedback from both the community at large who know about, and certainly from GPs and practitioners and practice nurses, that this is just about the most useful programme that has arisen in the PHO area.”
– GP and chair of Tumai Mo te Iwi PHO, Dr Larry Jordan.

Primary solutions – a primary mental health initiative in the Wellington region – takes an holistic approach to improving access to services.

Tumai Mo te Iwi, Kapiti and Capital PHOs are working together under the umbrella of Compass Health to provide primary mental health services to four key groups – Maori, Pacific, those on low incomes and youth. These groups are widely considered to be at greater risk of experiencing mild to moderate mental health problems.

“Porirua is an interesting city with a multiplicity of social groups, cultures and communities ranging from the very wealthy to the most needy and least well off,” GP and chair of Tumai Mo te Iwi, Dr Larry Jordan says.

On a daily basis about 10 per cent of people seeing Dr Jordan do so primarily for mental health issues. Another 15 or 20 per cent of his daily workload involves people who have a medical complaint with a mental health component.

Before the Primary Solutions initiative was set up, many individuals’ only choice was to rely on therapies outside the public health system, but costs were a real barrier to accessing them.

Dr Jordan was involved in setting up Primary Solutions in 2005. It’s based on the concept of packages of care designed to maximise access to mental health and addiction services.

GPs involved in the scheme are alert to circumstances in which mental illness could be an underlying factor to a physical complaint and use a variety of screening tools as part of an holistic approach. One such tool is the two-question screen which investigates mood and energy levels.

When mental health concerns are raised, GPs, practice nurses, or any concerned individual can refer the person to the Primary Solutions co-ordinator who also takes an holistic view of the situation. Subsidised counselling, assistance with childcare or transport, and extended GP consultations are all available. In addition, the co-ordinator or anyone else involved with the person’s recovery may identify other options for their package of care which will help them progress.

The counsellors involved also address the whole individual – mental, emotional, physical and spiritual, reflecting the Te Whare Tapa Wha Maori model of health.