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NZ should proceed with caution on mental health programme

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Evaluation is needed on a proposed new psychotherapy programme aimed at tackling rates of anxiety and depression in New Zealand, according to a group of NZ and Australian academics. NZ is following the UK and Australia in developing this programme, which was a centrepiece of the Government's Wellbeing Budget in May. Yet the authors say the value of this treatment for anxiety and depression is being questioned in both model countries, so we need to critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of both UK and Australia's programmes before charging ahead with our own.

Journal/conference: New Zealand Medical Journal

Organisation/s: Flinders University, University of Otago, The University of Melbourne

Media Release

From: New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA)

New Zealand is following the UK and Australia by developing a national psychotherapy programme, at the very time that the value of these programmes is being questioned. The New Zealand national psychotherapy programme was a centrepiece of the government’s first “wellbeing” budget 1 delivered on 30 May 2019. The budget attracted international attention, and was viewed by Lord Layard “as a game changing event” for public policy, because it was focusing on the “wellbeing” of its citizens, beyond traditional bottom-lines such as productivity and economic growth.

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