Dr says vote for GPs

A general practitioner says people should vote for GPs for their district health board this October.

Voters will help decide seven of the 11 members on Waitemata District Health Board (DHB), which serves the North Shore, Rodney and West Auckland.

The four other members, including the chairman and deputy chair, are appointed by the health minister.

Glenfield GP Dr Jon Wilcox says DHBs need to run hospitals more efficiently.

‘‘The most successful board members in the past have been GPs as they are the only people with a true idea of what goes on in both community and secondary care,’’ Wilcox says.

‘‘Creating efficiencies in the hospital health environment especially needs commitment and a few champions. They rarely exist and even more rarely come forward.’’

Waitemata DHB chairman Dr Lester Levy says a background in healthcare isn’t critical.

‘‘We have a number who do have a background in it but it isn’t a liability providing they’ve got experience in other things that matter,’’ Levy says.

‘‘It’s disappointing we don’t have any people with law, engineering, finance or accounting experience. We seldom get candidates who have those backgrounds.’’

Board members are responsible for the governance of the DHB, including things like health and safety, public consultations, DHB collaborations, and action and services plans.

Levy says the role is a huge time commitment, with meetings every Wednesday and about 300 to 600 pages of reading each week.

The DHB candidates are Max Abbott, Edward Benson-Cooper, John Bottomley, Michelle Clayton, Sandra Coney, Mark Dunlop, Warren Flaunty, Monina Gesmundo, James Le Fevre, Peter Leong, Brian Lythe, Norm McKenzie, Brian Neeson, Allison Roe and Te Aniwa Lynne Tutara.

Waitemata District Health Board is responsible for North Shore Hospital, among other services across the region.