66333 (2024). Ingrid Leary to the Minister for Mental Health

66333 (2024). Ingrid Leary to the Minister for Mental Health: Does the Minister agree with Dr Hiran Thabrew, national chairperson of the College of Psychiatrists, that Health New Zealand should have used 44 (instead of 50) as a baseline for psychiatry training places, which was the annual average in trainee numbers over the four years between 2020 and 2023, as this would have lifted trainee numbers to 66 each year, which is what the college wants; if not, why not?

Hon Matt Doocey: I agree that growing the mental health and addiction workforce is a priority for this Government. I am advised that the Government has set target of training 500 mental health and addiction professionals each year and I am pleased to say that we are on track to deliver against this target in our first year.