Statement from Wayne Brown, ADHB chairman
National MP Tony Ryall has made sweeping, incorrect assumptions regarding ADHB’s staffing.
Mr Ryall claims we will be employing younger staff as a consequence of new collective pay agreements. I said no such
thing and he has just missed the point.
What I said was that we are working on ways to address the fact that ADHB staff are paid more than their equivalents at
other DHBs. We are also looking at resizing as a response to the fact that other DHBs are providing services for which
ADHB has previously been the main provider.
Neither I, nor CEO Garry Smith have ever stated there were no plans for staff cuts. We have been very open about the
need to address ADHB’s substantial deficit and we are making good progress in doing so.
This process includes a service review which, amongst other things, looks at staffing levels in each of the ADHB’s 114
services, as a consequence of other DHBs developing services for which ADHB has previously been their main provider.
Nothing further will be said on staffing matters until after consultation with the relevant unions.
ENDS