DHB spent $10,000 on crisis PR
An embattled Waikato DHB spent $10,000 on a PR firm to take the heat off it following the Nigel Murray spending scandal.
New details have emerged of how the health board tried to limit and manage the public fallout in the wake of allegations Murray had misspent health dollars.
Murray resigned as chief executive of the Waikato DHB on October 5 last year, part way through an investigation into allegations he misspent health dollars during his numerous trips, both abroad and within New Zealand.
Murray chalked up $218,166 in expenses during his three-year stint at the health board – including $71,811 in unauthorised spending. The damning revelations prompted Waikato DHB chairman Bob Simcock to quit on November 28.
Material obtained under the Official Information Act shows the Waikato DHB spent $10,889.66 on public relations advice during the Murray saga, with some of the spend intended to rebuff criticism from its own board members.
On August 14, eight weeks before Murray resigned, Simcock emailed State Services Commission assistant commissioner Geoff Short saying he was keen to engage a communications advisor to help with media management.
The next day Simcock contacted public relations firm Senate SHJ seeking to use their services. In an email to Senate SHJ general manager Julien Leys, Simcock said the investigation into Murray’s expenses had attracted a lot of public attention.
‘‘Given the timing in the electoral cycle this process has attracted a significant amount of media interest already and is likely to attract more as it comes to a conclusion in the next few weeks,’’ Simcock wrote.
The pair later met up in Auckland and at an undisclosed location in Hamilton. Simcock was advised by Leys to develop a timeline detailing the recruitment process for hiring Murray after Simcock was accused of ignoring warnings not to hire Murray in 2014.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell said the union urged Simcock not to hire Murray, citing concerns over his management style. Eight days after Murray’s resignation, Simcock and Leys discussed, via email, when to announce the appointment of Derek Wright as the DHB’s interim chief executive.
‘‘We are likely to announce an interim CE soon and I think that will defuse some of the doctor driven challenges,’’ Simcock wrote. ‘‘It has been suggested that I may even get a statement of support from the senior doctor group but we will see.’’
On October 12, Leys provided Simcock with a ‘‘holding statement’’ and questions and answers to help Simcock rebuff criticism of his oversight of Murray from the New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union, Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, and board member Dave Macpherson.
‘‘From a media perspective once the announcement on the new Government is made by Winston [Peters] next week the focus will be entirely on the formation of the next administration and this issue should get less attention,’’ Leys wrote.
On November 27, Simcock emailed Wright regarding an unspecified media release he hoped would help ‘‘reset the media narrative’’.
Two days later, Simcock resigned as DHB chairman. The State Services Commission is investigating allegations of wrongful spending of public money by Murray.
Waikato DHB deputy chairwoman Sally Webb is currently serving as acting health board chair. In a statement, Health Minister David Clark said he was waiting on the outcome of the SSC investigation before making a decision on a new DHB chair.
‘‘In the meantime, Sally Webb continues as acting chairperson of the Waikato DHB,’’ Clark said.