SC fears over health review

A long-time South Canterbury health advocate fears new health board recommendations could politicise the system.

Terry Kennedy, who stood down last year following 18 years on the South Canterbury District Health Board, made the comments after an extensive review of the national healthcare system released yesterday suggested all board members should be appointed, not elected.

‘‘The people who live in the city or district would have the opportunity to put their name down if they are interested,’’ Kennedy said.

‘‘But on the other hand, if the Labour Government gets back in they will just appoint the whole board and if the National Party get in they will put all of theirs in.’’

South Canterbury’s DHB, made up of seven elected members and four ministerappointed members, could be in danger of disappearing as the review also says the number of DHBs need to be reduced from 20 to eight or 10.

The SCDHB is one of the smallest and the review does not outline which boards will disappear or how decisions will be made.

SCDHB chairman Ron Luxton said his preference would be for ‘‘local’’ elections to remain.

‘‘SCDHB is one of the largest employers with about 1000 employees in South Canterbury, roughly, and another probably 1000 employed as contractors.

‘‘Having professional governance is an advantage but also having the local input of the local people is very important as far as I’m concerned.’’

He said the decision would be debated by communities and political parties and ‘‘at the end of it the Government will make a decision based on the input of the people’’.

The two-year Health and Disability System Review also includes recommendations for the establishment of a new health authority, Health NZ, to take control of the system; a Ma¯ ori health authority to sit alongside Health NZ and the Ministry of Health.

The review says having fewer DHBs would mean more consistently applied operational policies and better regional planning and collaboration that would simplify the structure of the system, streamline decision-making and allow for better use of scarce expertise and increase efficiency.

‘‘DHBs are complex operational entities and are often the largest employer in their local area,’’ it says.

‘‘It can be a challenge to ensure that a DHB board has the appropriate balance of competence and experience to effectively govern a large organisation.’’

It also notes that less than half of eligible people vote, indicating low public interest.

Retired surgeon Peter Binns, serving his fourth term on the board, expressed concerns about what the changes might mean for the South Canterbury Ma¯ori Health Advisory Committee, which was established to provide ‘‘strategic and expert advice and guidance’’ to the board and management team on Ma¯ori health issues.

‘‘. . . local input . . . is very important as far as I’m concerned.’’ DHB chairman Ron Luxton