Source: Radio New Zealand
Leanne and Gareth Hall. RNZ / Kim Baker-Wilson
Warning: This story discusses youth mental health and suicide.
Youth mental health services and wait times have improved in the years since Tauranga teenager Maddie Hall took her own life, Health New Zealand says.
The 16-year-old died in March 2023, almost three years after she was first taken to hospital following an attempt to end her life.
During that period she attempted suicide more than 40 times, was seen by clinicians dozens of times, and faced delays in getting certain support and treatment.
In findings made public on Tuesday following a 2024 inquest, coroner Marcus Elliott found Maddie died by suicide but there was “no aspect of the medical care which can be said to have ‘clearly linked to the factors that contributed’ to Maddie’s death”.
As a result, he had no power to make any comments or recommendations about Maddie’s death.
But Maddie’s parents Gareth and Leanne Hall said clinicians could have been done more for their daughter and they wanted changes to the mental health system.
A serious incident review was completed after Maddie’s death and “service improvements” were identified.
Health New Zealand national director of mental health and addictions service enhancement Phil Grady said work on implementing the review’s findings had been started and there had been material improvements to services since 2023.
A child in Maddie’s situation could expect faster assessment and access to support today, he said.
“The independent review took into account how we receive and assess referrals in terms of the multidisciplinary team in that district and looked at ways of improving triage assessment and ensuring that we’re shortening the distance and prioritising those most in need to make sure that they are receiving a service,” Grady said.
“We’ve taken those things into account and continuing to work on them.
“In addition to that our overall wait times as a country have improved over the years since Maddie was engaged in working with services and her tragic death. So we know child and youth are receiving a more timely response, but there’s still work to be done to achieve the target of 80 percent being seen in three weeks.”
Health New Zealand national director of mental health and addictions service enhancement Phil Grady. Nathan Mckinnon / RNZ
At present about 75 percent were seen within that timeframe.
Grady said every parent had the right to expect their child’s life could be saved when they entered the mental health system at a time of crisis.
“I would accept that every parent would expect that,” he said.
“We’ve got a range of services that parents, if they’re worried, can reach out to. We’ve got access and choice in our general practices. We’ve got free counselling and support services. We’ve got Whakarongorau 1737, a range of online tools, and we’ve got our specialist services. So my message is to families that may be worried about their young ones there is help available.”
He extended his condolences to Maddie’s family and loved ones.
“Every life lost to suicide is one too many,” Grady said.
“As a parent myself, I know that losing a child is every parent’s worst nightmare and my thoughts are with Maddie Hall’s family, whānau, friends and all those that have loved her.”
Grady backed the state of the country’s mental health system.
“We’re working to improve our services as a whole. I think we’ve got very strong and growing ICAMHS (Infant, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services). We’ve got around 6500 clinicians working across our mental health and addiction services doing terrific work every day,” he said.
“So I think they are absolutely fit for purpose, really strong clinical leadership, strong clinical services across the country, and I really back our staff. In fact, I’d say it’s a great, great service.
“That being said, we recognise that actually there is some pressures on our services in terms of the amount of need out there in the community and we’re always looking to improve.”
In responding to the coroner’s findings, Maddie’s parents said they hoped their daughter’s death could be a catalyst for change in the mental health system.
“Maddie would have wanted a change and improvements in the mental health system, she hated other kids suffering and we don’t want other kids to suffer like Maddie did either. So if something good can come from Maddie’s passing I think that will help us,” her father Gareth said.
“People don’t understand how much these kids suffer and that’s the thing that still burns us is how much Maddie suffered. There has to be something done to prevent these kids suffering as much as they do because if it was a medical disease you know everything in the doctors’ power would be done to try to reduce the suffering.”
Where to get help:
- Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason.
- Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357.
- Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends.
- Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202.
- Samaritans: 0800 726 666.
- Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@youthline.co.nz.
- What’s Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds.
- Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English.
- Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254.
- Healthline: 0800 611 116.
- Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155.
- OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.
If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
