Appointment of Director of Area Mental Health Services

Pursuant to section 92 of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992, I, Audrey Sonerson, Acting Director-General of Health:

Revoke all previous notices appointing the Directors of Area Mental Health Services made by the Director-General of Health pursuant to section 92 of the Mental Health (Compulsory Assessment and Treatment) Act 1992 (“Act”); and
Appoint the persons set out in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of this notice as Directors of Area Mental Health Services for the areas specified below pursuant to section 92 of the Act.

Dated at Wellington this 19th day of March 2025.

AUDREY SONERSON, Acting Director-General of Health.

Schedule 1 – Directors of Area Mental Health Services

Area of Responsibility	Person Appointed
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Te Tai Tokerau Northland	Dr Margaret Aimer, psychiatrist, of Auckland
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Waitematā	Michelle Dawson, registered nurse, of Auckland
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Te Toka Tumai Auckland	Dr John Jacques, consultant psychiatrist, of Auckland
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau	Dr Eric Pushparajah, consultant psychiatrist, of Manukau
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Waikato	Dr Rees Tapsell, psychiatrist, of Auckland
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty	Dr Andrew Wilkinson, consultant psychiatrist, of Tauranga
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Lakes	Joanna Price, registered nurse, of Rotorua
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Tairāwhiti	Dr Inez Awatere-Walker, clinical psychologist, of Hawke’s Bay
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Taranaki	Ross Ekdahl, nurse practitioner, of Waitara
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay	Dr Inez Awatere-Walker, clinical psychologist, of Hawke’s Bay
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral	Dr Alison Masters, psychiatrist, of Palmerston North
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley	Jeff Hammond, registered nurse, of Whanganui
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough	Dr Neil Yorke, consultant psychiatrist, of Nelson
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Te Tai o Poutini West Coast	Dr Heather McPherson, consultant psychiatrist, of Runanga
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury	Dr Sigi Schmidt, Chief of Psychiatry, of Christchurch
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Whanganui	Jeff Hammond, registered nurse, of Wellington
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Wairarapa	Jeff Hammond, registered nurse, of Wellington
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora South Canterbury	Dr Cecilia Smith-Hamel, medical practitioner, of Timaru
Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora Southern	Ruth Manning, psychiatric nurse, of Dunedin

Schedule 2 – Directors of Area Mental Health Services (Forensic)

Area of Responsibility	Person Appointed
Auckland Regional Forensic Psychiatry Services Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora areas – Te Tai Tokerau Northland; Waitematā; Te Toka Tumai Auckland; Counties Manukau	Dr Krishna Pillai, consultant forensic psychiatrist, of Auckland
Canterbury Regional Forensic Mental Health Service Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora areas – Nelson Marlborough; Te Tai o Poutini West Coast; Waitaha Canterbury; South Canterbury	Dr Sigi Schmidt, Chief of Psychiatry, of Christchurch
Central Regional Forensic Mental Health Service Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora areas – Te Matau a Māui Hawke’s Bay; Te Pae Hauora o Ruahine o Tararua MidCentral; Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley; Wairarapa; Tairāwhiti	Dr Jackie Short, psychiatrist, of Wellington
Midland Regional Forensic Psychiatric Service Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora areas – Waikato; Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty; Lakes; Taranaki	Dr Peter Dean, psychiatrist, of Hamilton
Southern Regional Forensic Mental Health Service Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora areas – Southern	Ruth Manning, psychiatric nurse, of Dunedin
Whanganui Forensic Mental Health Service Health New Zealand \| Te Whatu Ora areas – Whanganui	Jeff Hammond, registered nurse, of Wellington

Appointment of Director of Area Mental Health Services

Tags

Notice Number

Schedule 1 – Directors of Area Mental Health Services

Schedule 2 – Directors of Area Mental Health Services (Forensic)