Integrated Primary Mental Health and Addiction (IPMHA) Services — South Canterbury

Integrated Primary Mental Health and Addiction (IPMHA) Services provides appointments, usually at your healthcare provider — health improvement practitioners and health coaches can also contact you by phone, video, text or by arrangement at your home or in the community.

On this page

In a crisis

If you, or someone you know, needs immediate help you can either:

  • call 111
  • go to your nearest emergency department
  • contact your local mental health crisis assessment team.

Mental health crisis assessment teams (internal link)

Contact us

To contact Maree Guerin, the clinical implementation lead for IPMHA Services:

If you require an urgent assessment, contact 0800 277 997 or 111 at any time.

Where to find us

The IPMHA Services main office is at:

Kensington Centre
Queen Street
Timaru 7910

Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm. 

Hospital map — Kensington Centre

Timaru Hospital and Kensington Centre mapPDF1.5 MB

Services we provide

Appointments with a health improvement practitioner or health coach are available at some primary healthcare practices — check with yours. Appointments are 30 minutes and there is no cost for this service. Same day appointments are available on usual clinic days, which may vary between practices.

You can also ask to be contacted by phone, video or text, or arrange for a visit at your home or in the community.

Health improvement practitioners use different 'talking therapies' to help you reconnect with your values and help you commit to actions that reflect your health and wellbeing goals. They can teach a wide range of strategies to help you manage and overcome stress and distress.

Health improvement practitioners can offer support with a number of health and wellbeing problems, including:

  • sleep
  • anxiety
  • depression
  • stress
  • fatigue
  • grief
  • headaches
  • pain
  • socio-economic problems, for example domestic violence, bereavement, relationship problems
  • children with behavioural issues
  • problems with substance use.

Health coaches can help you achieve your health and wellbeing goals. They have a wealth of information about community services and organisations and can help you navigate your health and wellbeing needs.

See your health coach for help with:

  • gaining a better understanding of new and existing health conditions
  • developing collaborative action plans that support health and wellbeing goals
  • support and empowerment to self manage your health and achieve health goals
  • gradual exposure to certain activities and environments
  • advocacy while navigating external services, for example Work and Income, Kainga Ora
  • budgeting and money matters
  • paid or voluntary work
  • working on an agenda before a healthcare provider appointment.

Referral information

You can be referred to the IPMHA service in South Canterbury by your general practitioner, nurse practitioner or practice nurse. You can also call your primary healthcare provider to find out if they provide the IPMHA service, and refer yourself.

Primary healthcare practices that provide the IPMHA service can be found on the Access and Choice website.

Find wellbeing support at Access and Choice— Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora (external link)