People accessing services must be at the centre of the mental health and addiction system.
Instead, many people receive treatment that does not meet their needs and find it hard to navigate the system. People with lived experience are on the periphery of service design and delivery – rather than at its centre.
Consumer voice needs to be supported, strengthened and included in all aspects of the system, from governance to service delivery.
Families and whānau want to be treated as a crucial part of the support network for their family members with mental health and addiction challenges.
Instead, the mental health and addiction system focuses on the treatment of individuals, without seeing their family and social context. Family and whānau are often excluded from communication and decisions.
Services need updated guidance on how to share information and partner with families and whānau. Families and whānau need better support, so they can maintain their own wellbeing.
