MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
WEDNESDAY 8 MARCH 2006
“Too Many DHBs Irresponsible And Negative Over Professional Guidelines For Senior Doctors”
“Too many district health boards are being irresponsible and negative over the importance of allowing senior doctors to
meet professional guidelines,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical
Specialists, today. Mr Powell was referring to a comparative league table of the attitude of the 21 DHBs prepared by the
Association (attached).
“It is recognised in our national DHB collective agreement that the professional guideline for time for non-clinical
duties such as peer review, clinical audit, teaching and other professional and administrative duties should be a
minimum of 30% of their total hours of work (excluding after hours call duties and leadership roles).”
“This league table provides the clearest indication of how committed or not DHBs are to supporting ongoing quality
improvement for senior doctors and whether they are two-faced about it or not.” DHBs who perform poorly on the league
table are more likely to view senior doctors as production workers and to devalue the importance of professional
standards and guidelines which are critical to quality improvement and standards of patient care.”
“On the positive side 10 DHBs are graded between A- and B. On the negative side 5 DHBs are D+ or worse including an E
and an F. The remainder are in-between.”
“Several DHBs will have to pull their socks up if they are to be genuinely committed to quality improvement and high
standards of patient care,” concluded Mr Powell.
Ian Powell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
DHB League table: Non-Clinical Duties
GRADE DHB COMMENTS
A- Northland Already had strong commitment to 30% minimum in local collective agreement prior to
MECA.
B+ Waikato
Bay of Plenty
Taranaki
Whanganui
Wairarapa
Hutt Valley Has adopted a positive attitude consistent with the ASMS’s approach including an agreed process for
implementation. [Waikato will have a new chief executive and chief operating officer next year and it will be important
that this doesn’t disrupt progress].
B Lakes Initially negative comments from lower level management but Chief Executive and senior management have
recently affirmed a positive approach consistent with the ASMS’s. An implementation process has also been agreed.
B MidCentral Positive promising approach consistent with ASMS’s although yet to confirm implementation
process
B West Coast Owing to recent change In chief executive, the opportunity to engage over this issue has been
recent. But the signs are encouraging with this DHB expressing an approach consistent with the ASMS’s. There has been
insufficient opportunity to agree upon an implementation process
B- Waitemata First DHB to make a commitment in a collective agreement (set 30% minimum as a medium
term objective in 2001; medium term is now up). But there are unfortunately some managerial pressures to renege on this
commitment
B- Tairawhiti
South Canterbury Implementation is being pursued incrementally but no indication at any disagreement with the
ASMS approach
C Southland Position unclear due to high level of internal instability but no outward negativity expressed
C Nelson Marlborough Struggling to understand why professional standards need to be made explicit and why
there are advantages in an agreed implementation process. But it has accepted the importance of recognising time for
non-clinical duties and is not demonstrating negativity or hostility
C- Canterbury In the past, prior to the MECA, has taken a positive approach with the 30% minimum implemented
in a number of departments. More recently other attitudes emerging from negative hostility and a narrow contractualist
misrepresentation of its obligations under the MECA (employment relations section) to flakiness and uncertainty.
Hopefully this DHB’s new Chief Executive will provide much needed positive leadership
D+ Counties Manukau Position unclear but negativity and confusing messages coming from some
managerial personnel. Chief Executive known to respect importance of quality improvement and professional standards; it
is important that he asserts leadership
D Auckland Too blinded by deficit challenges to grasp importance of the issue. Needs to move out of crisis
management mode and look ahead
D Capital and Coast Ducking for cover by claiming that this is a national issue; utter nonsense and
procrastination. But we are edging closer towards an agreed implementation process
E Otago Has adapted a negative attitude, quite hostile from its human resources section, based on a failure to
appreciate the importance of meeting professional standards and a narrow contractual misrepresentation of its
obligations under the MECA. The fact that it has nevertheless come close to agreeing upon an implementation process with
ASMS mean that it is rated 20th rather than 21st.
F Hawkes Bay Although camouflaged in ‘warm and fuzzy’ rhetoric, this DHB has also displayed a thoroughly
negative attitude which includes a narrow contractualist misrepresentation of its obligations under the MECA