Psychotherapists say we need a wide-ranging review into the mental health system before there are more preventable deaths.

Our already horrendous suicide rate hit a new record high last year.

The Green Party said the state of the entire mental health field needs to be reviewed, and the New Zealand Association of Psychotherapists agrees.

Association spokesman Kyle Macdonald said practitioners are overworked, "and it's terrible for clinicians to feel like they can't do enough and can't do their job."

"Everyone does the best that they can, but when there aren't enough resources to go around it leaves everyone in a terrible position."

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MacDonald said cost cutting costs lives, and that "we know the mental health system is under great strain, and increasingly we're hearing stories about people who are desperately seeking help, but that there are long waits to see clinicians."

The organisation just had its annual conference and the message was clear - the system is at breaking point and no longer providing timely treatment and intervention to those who need it most.