People are getting angry, John.


Yes, yes they are.

Stealing children's pets is pretty low. If you know who's doing this, call the SPCA or police...

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

GayNZ.com Q & A

http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/32/article_11040.php

Taonga by the Tapful

http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/election-2011/5944872/Taonga-by-the-tapful
Piece I wrote for the Southland Times during the election campaign in 2011 on water quality

Ruffles galore

My next project, start tomorrow once I figure out how to knit fishnet into a bag!!

Our mental health system's response to self harm

Tonight I'm going to talk about mental healh, and specifically self-harm. My journey through life has brought me into contact with many youg men and women who self harm. Many of these people are abuse or violence survivors - a group of the polulation whose self harm rate is quite high.
A lot of people don't understand self harm, and think it's a selfish cry for attention from someone who is obviously disturbed. That's not really true. Most people who self harm cut themselves or overdose because they have no other way of dealing with the hurt they feel inside. Some are hurting so badly that they feel crippled with pain and cannot cope at all. Self harm provides them with a form of temporary release from unbearable distress. Hiding it is common - most don't want anyone to know what they are doing. It's really important that society understands that this isn't about attention - it's not. It's about unbearable agony. Agony that should be treated with empathy, love and hope.
That's why I really support international organisations like TWLOHA (To Write Love On Her Arms) - http://www.twloha.com/vision/. Their vision is truly extraordinary yet so simple to implement. It's all about hope. And hope is a precious commodity at the best of times. Those of you who check my Twitter will see I proudly carry a TWLOHA skin, and it's because I really believe in these guys and gals.
Unfortunately, many people who self harm in NZ are treated badly by our mental health system. Often, they are diagnosed with 'borderline personality disorder', which seems to be a catch all diagnosis given when psychiatrists don't really know what to do. Therapists have told me self harmers can be automatically put in a 'too hard basket' by many DHB staff. I have spoken to patients who were told by professionals that there was no cure. No hope. Nothing. This is tragic. We MUST do better for our vulnerable than sew their arms up, pump their stomach and biff them back into a world they find difficult to handle.
Here is the news article that prompted an immediate letter to the editor from me and gave me the passion to speak out on self harm and its shocking lack of treatment by our health system. It's been a few months, but I am still enraged.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/southland-times/news/4042809/Girl-held-in-custody-despite-concerns
The Green Party expects better from our health system than this. We support the recovery approach to mental health. The term 'recovery' refers to the ability to live well in the presence or absence of mental illness. Recovery can happen when service users are meaningfully involved in decisions about their health and treatment options, and when services are coordinated. The Green Party advocates a balanced, integrated approach to mental health which on the one hand supports the recovery model, while at the same time recognising the necessity for well resourced mental health services appropriate to every level of need.
New Zealand CAN do better for its hurting, vulnerable citizens. And better means effective treatment, not a cell.

Reality check, SDHB...

1) You're told if you're worried to call Healthline. You do, and they tell you to go to the emergency room every time. So that's what you do.

2) GP visit costs keep rising, urgent Drs even more so.
3) Fewer GP's due to aging GP population means shorter clinic hours and clinic closures.
4) Anyone ever heard of poverty?

5) Community social services supporting the health of vulnerable people have had funding axed.
6) Relying on expensive, sometimes downright dangerous and rude locums to staff your hospital isn't getting your budget in the black very effectively.
7) Unfortunately the world cant cancel evenings and weekends

8) Many GPs are booked solid for up to a week and cant/wont provide acute care appointments

I've had absolutely shocking and absolutely brilliant care at Southland Hospital's A&E. Unfortunately I'm there a lot due to disability. So are many of my friends who have also had wonderful & awful encounters. But seeking emergency care for your health shouldnt be a lottery.

Stop wringing your hands and begging the public to not get sick please because you cant afford it. We all know that, and as a province we are all rooting for the SDHB to have permanent staff, lower costs, bigger budgets and the latest technology.

But we still cant help getting sick. Or being worried about our feverish baby. Nor can we help being too broke to seek private after hours health care, or in some cases, even see our GP.

I really support helpful initiatives like the DHB’s nurse-led care at A&E, which seems to be helping, and hope one day for funding for an urgent health care facility for struggling Southerners who deserve and need the same care as those who can afford to be proactive about their health care. And thats only going to happen if the Nats wake up and remember not everyone's as rich as them.