Psychiatrists and Clinical Psychologists warn their workforces are depleting to the point there won’t be enough experienced professionals to provide supervision for those in training.
Figures released to Nine to Noon by Health New Zealand under the Official Information Act, show that at the end of June 2025 there were 116.1 full time equivalent vacancies for psychiatrists in the public health system - this is up from 93.5 at the end of June last year.
Vacancies for full time clinical psychologists were 85.9 full time equivalents, up from 72.4 last year.
The Minister for Mental Health, Matt Doocey, says since coming into office, the frontline Health New Zealand mental health workforce has grown by almost 10%, including more training positions for both psychiatrists and clinical psychologists.
Dr Hiran Thabrew is a Child Psychiatrist and Pediatrician at Starship Children's Hospital, a researcher at Auckland University and the chair of the Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists for this country.
Also Christchurch Clinical Psychologist and executive member of the College of Clinical Psychologists, Leigh Anderson.
