Sometimes, good things do happen in politics, even if it takes quite a long time.
Back in February 2022, I first met ADHD NZ’s Darrin Bull at Open Cafe at the Ponsonby end of Karangahape Road.
We discussed the immense barriers to diagnosis and treatment for New Zealanders with ADHD, and how, at worst, these can result in some of the most negative statistics in our society in the form of mental ill health, relationship breakdown, educational failure, employment challenges and interactions with the criminal justice system. Importantly, we also started tabling the solutions, which started to chart our two and a half year pathway to the huge changes Pharmac announced they were consulting on in September this year.
The first potential change is the removal of the ‘Special Authority’ process, which currently requires people with ADHD to go back to a psychiatrist every two years, at the cost of a minimum of hundreds of dollars, to prove that their brain hasn’t changed and that they’re therefore still able to get access to their medication. The second is the funding of lisdexamphetamine (often referred to by the brand-name Vyvanse), a medication largely understood to be less prone to potential abuse, opening up greater potential treatment options in more circumstances.
Consultation for these changes will be closed by the time this issue of Ponsonby News goes to print and the changes may be implemented by the first week of December.
They come on top of the changes we won back in June 2023 to extend prescription supplies from one month to three months at a time.
This didn’t just happen. From the point of that initial coffee with Darrin, we had coordinated two parliamentary hui with the engagement of GPs, psychiatrists, paediatricians, psychologists, nurse practitioners, Government officials and those with lived experience; wrote multiple letters to push the wheels of bureaucracy; got commitments from governments of both stripes; and sustained the work programme through my Chairing of the Cross Party Group on Mental Health and Addiction, driving cross-parliamentary consensus on the need for evidence-based reform.
Of course, there’s so much more to do, including removing costs and hurdles for those trying to get an initial diagnosis and prescription. There’s work underway on that too, in the form of trying to get a micro-credential up for GPs and possibly even Nurse Practitioners to remove the bottleneck and reduce the demand on psychiatrists. In the meantime, it’s crucial to take stock of how we’ve got here and celebrate each positive step forward.
This coming month could also potentially be momentous in marking a new consensus on Climate Adaptation. As I write this, I am sworn to Parliamentary privilege as the issue is before our Finance and Expenditure Select Committee. However, I must say in reiterating what’s already out there in the public that it’s a long overdue piece of work which will herald important, tangible relief for those who remember the day the climate crisis washed up at our doorsteps.
A number of Auckland Central locals are still dealing with the consequences of Auckland Anniversary and Cyclone Gabrielle destruction, including financially and through insurance challenges. The point of the Climate Adaptation framework is to build cross-parliamentary agreement on a framework for prevention, planning, adaptation and potential retreat where necessary – with the all important question of who pays and when we start not left to whichever way the political wind blows.
As always, there’s so much more to say than could possibly fit into a short piece of writing, so if you ever have anything you want to know about or see me elaborate on, don’t hesitate to drop me a line via chloe.swarbrick@parliament.govt.nz, or to drop into our electorate office at 3/1 Cross Street. This month you’ll also find me, at the very least, at Karangahape Road’s First Thursdays on 3rd October and Uptown Branch Out Festival on 12 October. (Chlöe Swarbrick)
Chlöe Swarbrick, T: 09 378 4810, E: chloe.swarbrick@parliament.govt.nz
www.greens.org.nz/chloe_swarbrick
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