DHBs should be appointed not elected

Stuff reports:

A leaked document suggests removing the control of District Health Boards from elected representatives in a proposed overhaul of their governance structure.

The Capability and Capacity Review leaked to Radio New Zealand is part of a series of reviews implemented in the health sector when new Director-General of Health Chai Chuah was confirmed in the role in March.

Currently most DHBs have 11 members, seven of whom are elected at local government elections.

The remaining four are appointed by the Minister of Health.

I have long advocated that DHBs should be entirely appointed by the Government. The Government funds DHBs and is accountable the performance of the health system.

Having elected members actually allows the Government to avoid accountability and responsibility. The problems at a DHB are then blamed on the DHB members, instead of the Government.

But Health Minister Jonathan Coleman said major changes were unlikely.

The review was a third party report, and not Government policy, Coleman told RNZ.

A pity.