Mayor Jim BoultAs the fallout from Covid-19 continues, Queenstown Mayor Jim Boult is worried the resort’s mental health services are struggling to cope with demand. He said he had heard reports of people waiting weeks for an appointment with a counsellor, while others were unloading their mental health burdens on GPs. Mr Boult was aware of several suspected suicides in the resort since the start of lockdown four months ago. He will be raising those issues with Southern District Health Board chief executive Chris Fleming at a meeting tomorrow, and asking him if the resort’s mental health team has "adequate personnel and adequate resources". Mr Boult said there continued to be stigma attached to talking about mental illness that was discouraging many residents, particularly men, from seeking help.

Source: Otago Daily Times July 29, 2020 16:30 UTC