The police have again postponed the start of phase two in their plan to reduce support for mental health incidents, following recommendations from a governance group involving the Ministry of Health, Health New Zealand (HNZ), and ambulance services.
The rollout of phase two will now be staggered across districts, depending on each district’s readiness for the changes. This is the second time the police have rescheduled the start date.
Originally, the year-long program was announced by former police commissioner Andrew Coster in August 2024 to ease the strain on police resources caused by a high number of mental health-related callouts. Phase two was initially set to run from January to March 2025, and it included two main changes:
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Sixty-minute Emergency Department Handover: Police transporting individuals detained under the Mental Health Act will stay for no more than an hour at emergency departments before leaving, unless there is an immediate risk to life or safety.
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Tighter Mental Health Custody Rules: Police no longer consider custody suites suitable for conducting mental health assessments. New rules will prevent individuals in distress from being unnecessarily assessed in police custody.
However, in February, unions and healthcare workers expressed concerns about inconsistencies in the rollout across districts and the timeline. Police, alongside HNZ, acknowledged these concerns and clarified that the original timeline was “aspirational.” As a result, phase two was rescheduled to begin on March 31.
Health workers have raised alarm over rising violence towards staff from patients, fearing that the police withdrawal would place healthcare workers at greater risk.
On Tuesday, police announced the new start date for phase two: April 14. The phased implementation will begin in specific districts based on their readiness. The districts starting on April 14 will include HNZ’s Waitematā, Counties Manukau, Waikato (excluding Tokoroa and Taumarunui), Nelson-Marlborough, and West Coast.
Assistant Commissioner Mike Johnson stressed that the safety of both police and healthcare staff remains a priority. “Police will always respond when there is an offence or an immediate risk to life or safety, and this will not change,” he said.
Karla Bergquist, HNZ’s director of specialist mental health and addiction, emphasized the collaboration between various agencies, including police, HNZ, Ministry of Health, Hato Hone St John, and Wellington Free Ambulance. “The goal is to ensure that people receive the right mental health care at the right time, with safety for both patients and staff at the forefront,” she said.
In 2024, data from HNZ showed that assaults on healthcare workers had escalated, with approximately 14,000 incidents of assault recorded between January 2023 and December 2024. One nurse, who had been punched and had a chair thrown at her, told RNZ that staff often had to manage dangerous situations themselves due to delays in police or security intervention.
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