Undermining the health boards

The Government’s penchant for making compulsory appointments to district health boards is disillusioning.

In my opinion, this is undermining the importance of health board elections.

Health board elections with their byzantine STV voting system are already struggling to stay relevant.

The Government recently made 76 appointments to 19 district health boards (across NZ) including 13 new chairs. These are massive changes. I concede that public health is fraught with difficulty, and there’s never enough money.

However, such wholesale changes are a vote of no confidence in our health board elections.

The Government should be more honest and just scrap health boards. Maybe it’s keeping them so it still has someone to blame when things go wrong – apart from the former National Government.

Just recently seven outstanding Taranaki candidates were elected to the TDHB.

However, it seems two (of the four) newly appointed people will have more influence, because Cassandra Crowley and Bridget Sullivan were made the chair and deputy chair. (TDN, December 9)

The new health board directors (all women) boast stellar CVs and appear to have good governance experience.

However, their public health experience and knowledge seems scant.

I am also surprised Pauline Lockett was not reappointed as the TDHB chair, given her experience and outstanding financial credentials.

Health Minister David Clark says a fresh set of eyes will ensure better robust financial management.

But then he talks about these new people needing to know their community.

Bryan Vickery, Strandon