Helen Garrick: Mental Health Section Chair of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation on health workers at risk as police stop attending mental health callouts

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Mental health nurses are worried the public, patients and health workers will be put at risk when Police stop attending some mental health callouts.

From Monday, Police won’t attend ‘low risk callouts’ where there is no immediate risk to life and safety.

Instead, Health NZ is expected to pick up the work.

Leaked documents show only interim standard operating procedures have been developed by Health NZ.

Mental Health Section Chair of the New Zealand Nurses Organisation Helen Garrick tells Heather du Plessis-Allan the plan is in its infancy but the industry does not have a sufficient workforce to manage the increase in workload.

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