(file image) Photo: 123RF
More than 100 Wellington families caring for mentally ill children have lost access to government-funded respite care they say they desperately need.
The change came as news to government ministers on Thursday, who nevertheless insisted it was not a cut because the programme's budget was intact.
The Wellington arm of Te Whatu Ora's 'carer relief programme' re-imburses full-time carers for some of the costs incurred when they take a break.
The health agency is now requiring families to have a community services card to get support - a change that will cut carer relief for 120 families in the region.
Upper Hutt mother Judith Taylor, whose 13-year-old son Edward has autism, ADHD, anxiety and depression, is among those losing access to the support.
"We are lucky enough that we can manage without the funding. It helps us get him additional days that perhaps we couldn't get, especially with the cost of living.
"But there are people who are in desperate need of the additional funding, who are desperate for the support, who are running of fumes and who are really struggling to cope."
Mental Health, Addiction and Intellectual Disability Service executive clinical director Paul Oxnam said the change was made after "careful review".
"Over time, the eligibility criteria had widened beyond its original intent ... we are bringing the programme back to its original intent to ensure those families with the greatest need can still access carer relief and take well-deserved breaks from their full-time roles."
The change was news to Health Minister Shane Reti, who told RNZ he thought his colleague, Mental Health Minister Matt Doocey, might have got a heads up about it.
"I would expect Health New Zealand to have discussions with the responsible minister if there's any significant changes to sensitive areas like this."
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But Doocey also only learned of the change on Thursday afternoon.
"You've raised the concern about the 120 families who are concerned about their entitlement to it and I'm happy to find the answers to that and look at more detailed advice," he said.
Both Doocey and Reti said the change had nothing to do with wider government efforts to curb public spending.
"It's not cutting services because the $95,000 is there," Doocey said.
"The budget has not changed for this programme," Reti said.
Labour's disability spokesperson Priyanca Radhakrishnan said it was very clearly a cut and similar to those made six months ago at Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People.
"They're significantly limiting the number of people who can access this funding ... so it's all well and good to say that the quantum or the monetary amount hasn't changed but if you are limiting access to services that can be funded through this fund it's a cut."
Green Party co-leader Chlöe Swarbrick said the change was not happening in a vacuum.
"You don't have to be a rocket scientist to connect the dots here. What we have is a government that has knowingly put indiscriminate cuts across the board and downward pressure on all ministries, departments and agencies to find those cost savings and in turn you are seeing those cost savings rolling out."
Taylor said she did not buy Health New Zealand's explanation for the change.
"It's a bit of a bluff to say that it's widened and now we're pulling it back. It is absolutely a cut."