Information for health professionals and the wider sector is gradually moving. Until mid-2026, information will either be here, or on our other website — tewhatuora.govt.nz.
Wellington, Hutt, Kapiti and Wairarapa mental health and addiction services
Information for health professionals looking to refer a person for the Mental Health, Addiction and Intellectual Disability Service (MHAIDS) in Wellington, Hutt, Kapiti and Wairarapa.
How to make a referral to our services
After hours or urgent referrals
To make an urgent or after hours referral, call MHAIDS on 0800 745 477
Business hours for most services are 8:30am to 5pm. You can check hours for individual services on our services pages in the link above.
Referrals from healthcare providers in the wider Wellington region
Complete the referral process online through Healthlink or BPAC.
You can find more information on our services for primary care on HealthPathways.
3D Community Health Lower North Island Pathwaysexternal link
Referrals from other districts
If you are a Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora health professional outside of the Wellington and Wairarapa region, and need to transfer someone who is currently being treated by your service, contact the relevant service directly.
Referrals from other agencies or providers
Call the relevant service from the link in 'Our services' above to make a referral.
If your request needs an urgent response, call 0800 745 477
Information we require for referrals
You will need to supply us with some information about the patient you wish to refer. Include:
- name
- date of birth
- current address
- phone number
- confirmation the person (or their legal guardian) has consented to them being referred to MHAIDS
- your expectations in referring them to MHAIDS.
You will also need to provide details for the person's next of kin, other whānau member, or support person. You will need the patient's consent to provide their information. We will need this person's name and phone number.
Individual service referral processes
Find referral details for individual services. If the service you want to refer to is not listed below, use the general referral information above.
To make a referral to CREDS, use the medical assessment form. The patient will need to complete an online self-assessment form.
Wellington region
CREDS online self-assessment form
CREDS pre-assessment medical review form — Wellington region [need new link]
Completed medical review forms should be sent to:
Central Region Eating Disorder Services (CREDS)
Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora
Private Bag 31 907
High Street
Lower Hutt
Palmerston North, Hawke's Bay and Whanganui regions
Clinicians can refer to our services using these forms.
CREDS online self-assessment form
CREDS pre-assessment medical review form — mid central region [need new link]
Email completed medical review forms to creds@mhaids.health.nz
Information for patients
Central region eating disorder services (CREDS)
Inpatients
Referrals are accepted for adults and rangatahi who come through a forensic inpatient pathway. The service is mainly for special or restricted patients who are either:
- transitioning from a forensic mental health inpatient unit
- continuing to live in the community on short or long leave, but who remain under the care of the Forensic Service because of their legal status.
Prisoners
Mental health referrals are sent to the forensic community team for all prisoners who had a mental health condition when they entered prison.
Referrals can be made by:
- prison GPs or health units
- justice liaison nurses
- community mental health services
- other regional forensic services.
Youth justice residential centres and youth offending units
All rangatahi with a serious mental health condition entering a youth justice residential centre or youth offending unit will be seen by the forensic youth team.
As of 1 November 2025, Compensation Advisory Services (CAS) is the provider for the Forensic Coordination Service (Intellectual Disability).
Contact FCS (ID) by:
- email for general enquiries: info@fcs.org.nz
- oncall phone: 029 951 2006
Clinicians can refer someone for an assessment by our community service team by emailing OlderpersonsCMHT@mhaids.health.nz.
The assessment will be completed by our Mental Health Needs Assessment and Service Coordination team.
Before referring to our service, it is important that:
- the person's physical health has been considered
- that delirium or other medical conditions have been managed or excluded.
Referrals to the inpatient service are usually facilitated by our community mental health team or by a general hospital.
Information for patients
Mental health service for older people
Referrals to Hutt Hospital
External referrals should be directed to:
- phone 04 566 6999 extension 8514
- email: ConsultLiaisonTeam@mhaids.health.nz
Internal referrals should be sent using the consultation liaison inpatient referral form available in the electronic health record. Or you can contact us on the above number.
Referrals to Wellington Regional Hospital
External referrals should be directed to:
- phone: 04 806 2185 extension 82185
Internal referrals should be sent using the consultation liaison inpatient referral form available in the electronic health record. Or you can contact us directly on the phone number above.
Our co-existing disorders service (CEDS) supports mental health clinicians working with people who:
- have co-existing mental health and alcohol and drug use problems
- are currently engaged with a mental health team.
If you are a clinician and would like our support, email cads@ccdhb.org.nz.
CEDS also provides training and second opinions within the wider Wellington region including the Wairarapa.
Community service locations and boundaries
Some of our community services operate in different geographical areas, or 'home bases', within our region. Use the boundary descriptions below to find out which service to refer to.
Kāpiti
From Peka Peka (not including Hadfield Road) to Pāekākāriki Hill Road including Waikanae/Paraparaumu/Raumati and surrounds.
Phone: 0800 300 058
Porirua
From Pāekākāriki Hill Road to Porirua city and surrounds (Cannons Creek, Waitangirua, Titahi Bay, Plimmerton, Mana) down to northern Wellington suburbs through to Broadmeadows (including Tawa, Johnsonville, Newlands to Ohariu Valley).
Phone: 0800 300 057
Wellington Central
Central and western suburbs from Kaiwharawhara and Khandallah to Adelaide Road, Newtown and including Makara Valley, Karori and Thorndon.
Phone: 0800 300 056
Wellington South
Southern suburbs from parts of Newtown and Berhampore to Karaka Bays/Worser Bay including Strathmore, Seatoun and Kilbirnie.
Phone: 0800 300 056
Lower Hutt (also known as Hutt South)
Ngauranga Gorge to Stokes Valley and across to Wainuiomata, Seaview and Eastbourne/Days Bay.
Phone: 0800 300 042
Upper Hutt (also known as Hutt North)
Silverstream to Remutaka Hill lookout.
Phone: 0800 300 044
Wairarapa
Remutaka Hill lookout to Mount Bruce.
Phone: 0508 432 432
Support for clinicians
Primary care liaison service
The GP Liaison Consultant Psychiatrist Service provides specialist advice to GPs and Nurse Practitioners who are supporting patients with mental health and addiction needs.
The service helps GPs and NPs develop specialist guided treatment plans, providing specialist support as early as possible to improve patient's mental health.
The GP liaison consultant psychiatrist service is available to GPs and NPs across Wellington, Hutt Valley and Wairarapa.
Ngā Tai Oranga service for personality disorder and PTSD
Ngā Tai Oranga provides consultation services and advice to clinicians in the lower North Island who are treating people with symptoms of personality disorder or complex post traumatic stress disorder.
Support for mental health clinicians working with addiction
Our co-existing disorders service (CEDS) supports mental health clinicians working with people who:
- have co-existing mental health and alcohol and drug use problems
- are currently engaged with a mental health team.
If you are a clinician and would like our support, email MHAIDScads@ccdhb.org.nz
CEDS also provides training and second opinions within the wider Wellington region including the Wairarapa.
Support for clinicians working in maternity care
Our maternal mental health service provides medication advice to healthcare providers who are caring for women who have existing moderate to severe mental health or addiction problems and who are:
- thinking about becoming pregnant
- pregnant
- breastfeeding.
This service includes advising healthcare providers in the Wairarapa.
Contact us by:
- phone: 04 806 0002 or 0800 426 522
- email: tewharetipu.admin@mhaids.health.nz