Source: New Zealand Government
The refresh of the Mental Health and Addiction Workforce Plan has been released today, building on strong workforce growth that has resulted in more New Zealanders getting faster access to support, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey says.
“We came into office knowing workforce shortages were one of the biggest barriers to people getting the mental health and addiction support they need. That’s why we made publishing New Zealand’s first dedicated mental health and addiction workforce plan a priority in our first year,” Mr Doocey says.
“Two years on, the results are clear. We have more people on the frontline, vacancy rates are falling and more New Zealanders are getting faster access to support.
“Since coming into Government, the frontline mental health and addiction workforce has grown by 11 per cent.
“We have increased first-year psychiatry registrar intake by 50 per cent, from 33 to 48, and are on track to double clinical psychology internships, increasing from 40 to 80.
“Health NZ Mental health registered nurse vacancies have nearly halved, falling from almost 15 per cent in September 2023 to 7.9 per cent in March 2026. Health NZ Psychiatry vacancies have also fallen, from 20.9 per cent in March 2024 to 15.6 per cent in March this year.
“For the first time, we have exceeded the workforce target, with 514 new mental health and addiction workers commencing training up from 457 in 2023.
“These workforce gains are helping deliver faster access, with nearly 84 per cent of people accessing primary mental health and addiction support within one week, and more than 82 per cent accessing specialist services within three weeks.
“The 2026 refresh builds on that progress and looks at new ways we can continue to grow the frontline workforce.
“For the first time, the plan has a dedicated focus on digital mental health. We know technology can have a big role to play in helping people find the right support at the right time. The refresh will help ensure our workforce is embracing the technology available to them and better utilising AI and digital mental health tools.
“We are also investing in and growing our mental health NGO frontline workforce, who are making a difference every single day.
“We are backing our community organisations and want to see that workforce continue to grow. This refresh will help make that happen.
“We will also continue to grow specialist workforces and respond to pressures, including forensic demand and substance-related harm, while growing the overall mental health and addiction workforce pipeline.
“We came into Government with a clear plan to deliver faster access to support, more frontline workers and a better crisis response. We have delivered on all three. “That is what having a plan, sticking to it and driving it looks like.
“Those on the frontline come to work every day, often under challenging conditions, to make sure people are looked after and getting the support they need. We are backing them to do what they do best by growing the workforce, fixing the basics and building the future.”
Notes to editors:
The refreshed plan can be found here.
Original source: https://nz.mil-osi.com/2026/09/25/growth-of-frontline-mental-health-workers-to-continue/