Unless they’ve got a significant mental health illness and we put them through [Southern District Health Board] mental health, getting counselling, particularly for post-traumatic stress, is difficult. I’ve done referrals and they’ve been sent back by [SDHB] mental health saying this doesn’t qualify for our psychologist." Mrs Rowe was also concerned about the lack of a plan to deal with the refugees’ mental health needs. Another Dunedin practice had closed books and could not take more patients, and practices needed to employ female GPs in order to accept refugee patients. The PHO has been covering the cost of the refugee health vouchers out of its own coffers while a refugee health funding package is finalised between Southern District Health Board and the Ministry of Health.

Source: Otago Daily Times January 12, 2017 17:05 UTC