Are you supporting people prescribed antipsychotic medications and passionate about promoting their overall health?

Health New Zealand Southern Mental Health, Disability and Addiction Services has launched a group-based wellness module designed to empower participants to improve their physical well-being in a safe, inclusive, and engaging environment.

Join us in supporting a groundbreaking wellness initiative!

This initiative was developed by the Dunedin Community Programmes team in response to the Maximising Physical Health Project, launched nationally by the Health Quality and Safety Commission.

Our goal is clear: to move beyond screening and take meaningful action—addressing the disproportionate physical health challenges faced by people prescribed antipsychotic medications. The result is a person-centred, group-based programme that’s both pragmatic and responsive to individual needs. We’ve worked collaboratively with peers, cultural advisors, and clinicians, and co-facilitate sessions alongside university lecturers and students.

The module is intentionally flexible and designed to reflect what matters most to participants:

  • Personalised, not prescriptive. Participants set their own goals, fostering intrinsic motivation and long-term engagement.
  • Voluntary participation. Engagement is authentic only when it’s chosen.
  • Practical and hands-on. Sessions include cooking, movement, conversation, and activities—recognising the cognitive challenges many participants face.
  • Support at every step. From student facilitators to clinicians, participants are never left to navigate alone.
  • Clear pathways forward. Integrated referrals to primary care and community supports promote sustainable change.

This modular design offers strong potential for adaptation across other healthcare settings. While currently tailored for people experiencing severe and enduring mental illness in a community setting, it could be utilised by early intervention psychosis services, where activity-based modules can foster peer connection; and inpatient settings, where innovative approaches to health promotion are often needed.

We acknowledge that not all regions have access to university partners, and implementation barriers exist. However, we strongly believe that intersectoral collaboration and problem-solving can overcome these challenges. The potential benefits are too significant to ignore—and the only way to discover what’s possible is to try. 

If you have any questions and for access to the workbook and associated resources, please get in touch via email: community.programmes@southerndhb.govt.nz

For more information about Hāpaitia: Living Well, download the presentation below:

Download Hāpaitia: Living Well presentation