Praise for new sector leader
The Government has appointed a new head of the health system, with Dr Ashley Bloomfield taking on the role of Director General of Health.
The Deputy State Services Commissioner made the announcement, following a long recruitment process brought about by the resignation of embattled former Director General Chai Chuah.
Bloomfield will head the Ministry of Heath, which oversees the implementation of New Zealand’s health strategy as well as a public health budget of more than $18 billion across a workforce of more than 65,000.
The system faces a number of challenges including increasing deficits at district health boards (DHBs), mass specialist shortages and contentious pay negotiations across parts of the workforce.
Deputy commissioner Debbie Power said Bloomfield was a ‘‘highly respected’’ leader in the health sector ‘‘who brings with him a breadth of experience and a real passion for public healthcare’’.
Bloomfield had 12 years’ experience in leadership roles at the Ministry of Health and was currently on secondment as the chief executive at Capital & Coast DHB, from his substantive role as chief executive at Hutt Valley DHB.
Bloomfield brought experience at many levels across the health sector.
He trained in medicine and has worked in public hospitals, as part of clinical teams, and in primary care before specialising in public health, health policy and health services leadership.
In 2017, he attended the Oxford Strategic Leadership Programme and is a former acting deputy director-general for sector capability and implementation, at the ministry.
From 1999 to 2008, he was a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine. Since 2008, he has been a Fellow of the New Zealand College of Public Health Medicine.
Bloomfield obtained a bachelor of medicine and bachelor of surgery at the University of Auckland in 1990.
The appointment is made independently of the Government, but Health Minister David Clark has welcomed the announcement.
‘‘Dr Bloomfield understands our health system and has sector leadership experience. He has a clinical background and has worked in primary care, public health and health policy.’’