DHBs: Central Control, Not Regional Responsibility

act-new-zealand

Mon Aug 27 2007 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

DHBs: Central Control, Not Regional Responsibility

Monday, 27 August 2007, 12:46 am
Press Release: ACT New Zealand

ACT New Zealand Health Spokesman Heather Roy today called on Health Minister Pete Hodgson to come clean and admit that it is his Government - not District Health Boards - that controls public health in New Zealand.

"It's not as if the Minister would be telling us something we didn't know: this year's low number of DHB candidates - 92 fewer than in 2004, and 657 fewer than in 2001 shows that fewer and fewer people are interested in standing in these phoney elections," Mrs Roy said.

"But who could blame them? DHBs consist of passionate, skilled and well-meaning people who think they've been elected to represent their local community - only to be told their real job is to tow the Labour line, implement Government policy without question and take the fall when those policies fail.

"These elections are a complete and utter farce: DHB members aren't there to serve their friends and neighbours; they're there to do what they're told - and the Government controls them by giving them no financial flexibility or power to speak of. Despite their best efforts, DHBs are able to make little meaningful difference for their communities.

"This is why we have hardly anyone interested in standing in these so-called 'elections' - and, if Christchurch surgeon and former Canterbury DHB member Philip Bagshaw is to be believed, we'll see hardly anyone interested in voting in them as well.

"With this being the case, Mr Hodgson may as well come clean and admit that public health in New Zealand is a matter of central control under the guise of regional responsibility. Once he's done this we could at least drop the charade and stop wasting everyone's time with these phoney DHB elections," Mrs Roy said.

ENDS

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