Source: New Zealand Government
New workforce data shows the frontline mental health and addiction workforce has grown significantly and vacancy rates have decreased under this Government, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says.
“I’ve been very clear that faster access to support and more frontline workers is a top priority, and that focus has paid off. Since coming into Government, Health New Zealand has seen an increase of more than 11 per cent of full-time equivalent mental health and addiction workers,” Mr Doocey says.
“The growth in the workforce has led to a reduction in vacancy rates, with some professions experiencing a 50 per cent decrease.
“When we took office, more than 10 per cent of Health NZ social worker roles were vacant, that figure is now just over 5 per cent. Mental health registered nurse vacancies have been halved, falling from almost 15 per cent in 2023 to just over 7 per cent. Vacancies among drug and alcohol counsellors have dropped from more than 14 per cent to 5.5 per cent.
“More than 400 full-time mental health nurses and nearly 90 full-time social workers have been employed within Health New Zealand.
“We have grown the clinical psychology and psychiatry workforce. We exceeded our 2025 target by funding 74 clinical psychology interns, well above the original goal of 60. We have also achieved record uptake in psychiatry training, with 48 junior doctors entering Stage 1 last year, up from 33 in 2023.
“Behind every one of those new psychologists, nurses, social workers and psychiatrists are hundreds of people who are often at the lowest point of their lives, now able to be seen, heard and supported faster.
“The Auditor-General called for a specific mental health workforce plan in response to wait times and vacancy rates increasing under the previous Government. We prioritised delivering that plan in the Government’s first year, and this data shows it’s paying off.
“These workforce gains are delivering faster access to support for New Zealanders. The latest results show improvements across all three access targets, with more than 83 per cent of people accessing primary support within one week, and over 82 per cent accessing specialist services within three weeks.
“This is exactly the clear direction the sector has been asking for, and we’re committed to continuing this momentum in 2026 and further growing the frontline.
“We’re focused on fixing the basics and building the future so when someone takes the brave step of reaching out for help, that support is there.”
Note to editors:
- Data is sourced from a combination of the Health Workforce Information Programme and HNZ payroll data.
- Information from September 2025 quarter is still provisional and subject to change. Vacancy information excludes data from Canterbury and West Coast Districts.
- Information is comparing 30 September 2023 to 30 September 2025.
