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In New Zealand, people receiving care from specialist mental health and addiction services experience poorer health outcomes compared to the general population. Māori (Indigenous) specialist mental health and addiction service users experience disproportionate inequities. This study aims to: (1) Describe and understand mental health staff perspectives on the quality of care delivered to specialist mental health and addiction service users in their service – including specifically for Māori; and (2) Identify areas staff report as opportunities for quality improvement. In 2020, Southern District Health Board (now Te Whatu Ora – Southern) mental health staff were invited to participate in a cross‐sectional study assessing their perceptions of a range of service aspects. This paper presents quantitative and qualitative analyses about quality of care. Among the 319 staff who completed the questionnaire; 272 provided quality‐of‐care responses. Among these, 78% reported the quality of care delivered to service users as 'good' or 'excellent'; only 60% reported this for Māori service users. Participants identified individual, service and broader system level factors influencing the quality of care delivered to service users, including factors specific for Māori. This study has identified, for what appears to be the first time, empirical and concerning differences in staff ratings of the quality of care delivered to Māori and SMHAS users overall. Findings highlight the need for institutional and managerial prioritization of hauora Māori, and incorporating tikanga Māori and Te Tiriti into practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the physical activities of Mental Health Nurses (MHN) in New Zealand against the 2018 World Health Organization recommended minimum levels of moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity. The research design was exploratory and descriptive as there were no previous studies about physical activity levels of MHNs in New Zealand. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ, Long Version) which included options for free‐text responses. Data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. A total of 266 participants returned the survey, a response rate of 4%, and a limitation of the study. More than 50% of MHNs reported <150 min of moderate‐to‐vigorous exercise per week for each of the four physical activity domains. When individual physical activity domains were combined, only 10% spent <150 min on moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activity. Work‐related physical activities were higher for those working in the inpatient area than in community settings. Transport‐related physical activities were higher for those working in community settings. Participants registered from 6 to 20 years had more time sitting than other groups. Nurses aged 55 years and above showed the highest total physical activity levels. Moreover, healthcare organizations and nurse leaders need to promote physical activity and provide wellness intervention for their staff. Nurses who are physically active may be more effective in supporting their patients to increase their physical activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advance care planning is becoming an increasingly important feature of health service provision. Although the New Zealand Mental Health Commission has advocated strongly for the provision of advance directives in mental health services, little is known about clinician or service user views on advance directives. The aim of the study was to survey the perspectives of service users and clinicians on the use of psychiatric advance directives. The study used an anonymous online survey to collect data from 110 mental health service users and 175 clinicians. Survey items included existing knowledge, preferred content and potential benefits of advance directives. Descriptive statistics and intergroup comparisons were conducted. Over 90% of service users and clinicians agreed that they support advance directives in mental health. There were similarities in the preferred content of an advance directive across the two groups, particularly regarding the notification of support persons, cultural support and preferred methods of de-escalation. Significant differences in opinion were found regarding the use of coercive measures and the ability of mental health legislation to override advance directives. The results indicate strong support for the use of advance directives within New Zealand mental health services, as well as for further research in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]