To the New Zealand Government, Minister of Health, Honourable Tony Ryall: Provide Healthy Choices for people in Mental Health Care in New Zealand

Annie Chapman is on a Hikoi for Healthy choices in Mental health care in New Zealand. She is walking from Cape Reinga to Wellington to gather support and raise awareness of the need for change.
We, the undersigned support Annie in her cause, and hereby request
1) an independent inquiry into the impact of current mental health treatment for people diagnosed with a mental illness, relative to:
• Their human rights
• their dignity as citizens
• their physical health
• the cost/benefit ratio of long-term high-dose psychiatric medication (taking into account the costs to the health system and to the individuals, of physical side-effects of high-dose medications).

2) We also request that District Health Boards are required to provide, to those diagnosed with mental illness, greater access to health-promoting psycho-social, holistic (mind/body) and culturally diverse treatment options, and aligning with options that research has proven successful here in NZ and other countries in
• improving long-term recovery outcomes
• reducing dependence on psychiatric medication
• reducing reliance on compulsory treatment orders
For more information please see
http://hikoiforhealthychoices.wordpress.com/