Capital & Coast boss calling it quits

Capital & Coast District Health Board chief executive Debbie Chin is resigning. She will step down at the end of the year.

Chin started the job in September 2013 on an interim basis, taking over from Mary Bonner, who was hired to control the board’s soaring debt – reported at that time to have led to two previous chief executives resigning.

She took the role on permanently in 2015.

Earlier this year, Chin admitted the Wellington-based DHB had been running at a loss for the past 20 years, as its projected debt for 2017 doubled.

The board’s projected deficit amounts to almost one-third of the entire national district health board debt, and is surpassed only by that of earthquake-hit Canterbury.

Last year, Chin was censured after she sent an all-staff email attacking the reputation of a mother whose son died while in the hospital’s care. This was in breach of the woman’s privacy.

‘‘I’ve been associated with this DHB for over 10 years, and I’m now just looking forward to new opportunities,’’ she said yesterday.

‘‘I’ve been in health for 25 years and there has always been financial pressure on the demand for healthcare, it’s just the nature of the work.

‘‘I’m stepping down but not stepping out until the end of the year. I’ll be exploring a range of new opportunities [and] have had approaches from the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, so it’s just a matter of weighing those up.’’

In an earlier statement, she said the board had achieved ‘‘many advances thanks to the quality of the frontline team’’.

‘‘Having a set budget is both a challenge and an opportunity, as it forces you to be innovative and think outside the square.’’

New Zealand Nurses Organisation Wellington organiser Georgia Choveaux said Chin’s resignation would be a loss to staff and patients.

‘‘I didn’t see it coming but I’m not surprised in the fact you’ve got devastating health underfunding, which makes her job exceptionally difficult.’’

Chin was an experienced and talented senior leader who had a good working relationship with the union, Choveaux said.

She was worried that a new leader would try to cut costs at the debt-riddled health board, which already had one of the leanest workforces.

Choveaux pointed to former chief executive Ken Whelan who, when he stepped down in 2010, said he could not cut staff any further without negatively impacting services.

Board chairman Andrew Blair thanked Chin for her hard work and dedication, as well as her agreement to work with the DHB to ensure a smooth transition.

Chin has been involved in the health sector for more than 20 years, at both a national and regional level.

She was an adviser to the prime minister between 1994 and 1998, and held the role of deputy director-general (corporate and information) at the Ministry of Health from 2002 to 2007.

Her involvement with Capital & Coast began in 2009 when she was appointed Crown monitor of both the Hutt and Wellington boards.

"I've been associated with this DHB for over 10 years, and I'm now just looking forward to new opportunities." Capital & Coast DHB chief executive Debbie Chin