increase font size
Michelle Thompson, chief executive of RHĀNZ.
The Rural Health Alliance Aotearoa New Zealand (RHĀNZ) is taking a lead role in two of the Government's rural mental wellness initiatives announced at Fieldays yesterday.
The first announcement includes the development of a Framework to Improve Mental Health and Addiction Outcomes for rural New Zealanders and the second is a continuation of the Emergency Response to Support Rural Mental Health.
RHĀNZ will work with both the Ministry of Health and the Ministry for Primary Industries over the coming year.
"The Framework is a long overdue and exciting piece of work," says Michelle Thompson, chief executive of RHĀNZ.
"Shortly we will begin recruiting a team of experts from within the RHĀNZ membership - and other key stakeholder groups - to help us with this important and complex piece of work.
"We will also be continuing our work upskilling rural health professionals in suicide prevention strategies and strengthening the clinical linkages between rural health services on the ground and the rural support trusts around the country.
"We know that mental health outcomes are poorer for rural communities than urban communities."
Improving mental health and addiction outcomes and minimising suicide risk for rural populations is a top priority for all 42 members of RHĀNZ.
"Ensuring our rural communities have improved access to high quality, safe and effective health services that are able to enhance their mental wellbeing and social cohesiveness will be a key focus for this Framework," says Dr Jo Scott-Jones, chairperson of RHĀNZ.
RHĀNZ Council member and Federated Farmers health and safety spokesperson Katie Milne says this is a much needed resource in rural communities.
"Farmers are doing it tough at the moment and when times get rough we need a responsive system in place to provide expert support quickly," Dr Jo Scott-Jones.
"We're pleased this programme is continuing into the next phase; the longevity and sustainability of this important programme is a top priority.
"We believe RHĀNZ is expertly placed to lead this work as we bring together a valuable combination of rural health professionals, rural industry and rural community groups which is exactly what this complex issue needs,"
Rural Women New Zealand this month submitted on the Draft Mental Health and a Wellbeing Strategy 2026-2036, because a person's postcode should not determine the quality of their mental health support.
The Government has announced its support for 18 community-based initiatives through its Rural Wellbeing Fund.
Hawke's Bay deer farmer Harry Gaddum organised the inaugural Gumboot Cup. It was a cricket tournament for 12 rural Hawke's Bay teams, their families, and the community. Gaddum says it was a chance for locals to get off farm, have some fun and connect, all for a good cause.
Jayna Wadsworth, daughter of the late New Zealand wicketkeeper Ken Wadsworth, has launched an auction of cricket memorabilia to raise funds for I Am Hope's youth mental health work.
Fussy children might be frustrating, but fussy mealybugs could help protect the New Zealand wine industry from grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3.
A central Canterbury business which turns malting barley into a key ingredient in beer making has celebrated its 100% New Zealand-grown status with a special event.
A farm shed solution to a long-standing safety problem has captured the public’s vote in the Fieldays Innovation Awards with AWS, with Waikato dairy farmer Warren Storey’s invention The PostMate, winning the 2026 Fieldays Innovation Awards People’s Choice Award, supported by KingSt. Advertising.
OPINION: The latest update from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) on the state of NZ's primary sector paints a positive picturee about its performance over the past 12 months.
The recently signed free trade agreement with India is an invitation to strengthen relationships between the New Zealand and Indian strong wool industries, says Wool Impact chief executive Andy Caughey.
Strengthening the voice of vegetable growers on "big ticket items" will be the immediate focus of newly formed New Zealand Vegetable Council (NZVeg), says inaugural chair Alison Stewart.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the red meat sector is doing an excellent job promoting our pasture-fed system around the globe.
OPINION: Central Hawke's Bay farmer Mark Warren recently told the Hawke's Bay Times it's time for a conversation about allowing…
OPINION: A nation that relies as heavily as NZ does on functional global shipping lanes will have to do its…
