A service that helps people get help for mild to moderate mental health issues through their GP is “humming” in Marlborough post Covid-19.

Wellbeing practitioners have been in place in Marlborough since last October. The service, offered through the Marlborough Primary Health organisation (PHO), sees mild to moderate health needs seen within a general practice setting.

The region now has Wellbeing practitioners in six practices, with the final role for practices Renwick Medical Centre and Lister Court Medical to be filled in the coming weeks.

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Nelson Bays PHO Deputy Chief Executive Karen Winton said it was collaborating with Marlborough on how best to implement the programme across its region’s 22 practices.

“It’s certainly what we need to move to, to ensure we can provide a service for the community. Because it’s such a growing need,” she said.

She said there had been a small increase in mental health need in Nelson, but the “major fallout” of the pandemic was yet to be seen.

“Unemployment’s climbing really rapidly in our region and there’s a lot of families that don’t have homes,” Winton said.

“There’s still a lot of fallout and effects to be felt.”

The wellbeing practitioner role was based on te tumu waiora – meaning “to head towards wellness and health” – first trialled by ProCare in Auckland, and Winton said their approach would also focus on this model.

“What is attractive about that is you have a resource in your practices so there’s opportunities for shared learning, early intervention and a quick response.”

At a Marlborough PHO board meeting last week, Chief Executive Beth Tester said the Wellbeing practitioner service had “come into its own post-Covid” due in part to increased mental health need following lockdown.

The programme, which was free to patients, was currently funded by the PHO, as it was still waiting on funds from the Ministry of Health promised in Budget 2019.

The Minstry of Health’s mental health and addiction deputy director-general Robyn Shearer said last month the next round of funding would not be until July 2021.

A report to the board from Clinical coordinator Katrina Flynn showed 119 referrals were made to wellbeing practitioners last month.

A survey of 30 patients showed 100 per cent felt they had a positive experience with their therapist and 86 per cent felt a positive effect on their mental wellbeing.

At the board meeting George St Medical GP Dr Deon Claassens said the introduction of the role had reduced the waiting time of patients seeking mental health support.

“Even if it’s just a first port of call before using another service, at least you can be seen,” he said.

“And that’s what people want, some access.”

Omaka Medical GP Guy Gardiner said he had found the service to be “excellent” and a “win win” for doctors and patients alike.

“In previous days, we only had one choice that was timely, and that was prescribing an anti-depressant or an anti-anxiety agent,” he said.

“Now we can offer patients a genuine, timely choice.”