MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
SUNDAY 22 MARCH 2015
DHBs’ Decision A Response To Bureaucratic Leadership Incompetence
“The decision to appoint separate chief executives for the Hutt Valley and Wairarapa district health boards is under the
circumstances probably a pragmatic response to bungling top-down bureaucratic decision-making by the top leadership of
the two DHBs,” says Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS).
Following the long expected resignation of Graham Dyer as chief executive of both DHBs, the chairs of the two boards
have announced plans to appoint separate chief executives.
“The original decision to merge the two DHBs management structures was poorly thought out, over hyped, and based on the
false premise that structural change drives clinical changes when it is the other way around.”
While the ASMS does not have a view on this decision revert to separate chief executives, Mr Powell says that it has
occurred in response to poor leadership by the DHBs on issues such as the future of the region’s public hospital
laboratories which affect 70% of clinical decision-making and are being de-stabilised by inept bureaucratic
decision-making.
“Decisions like these have soured the ‘3DHB’ brand (also Capital & Coast),” he says. “The case for increasing clinical collaboration between DHBs is self-obvious but the top leadership
of the three DHBs have managed to turn it into a toxic brand. Priority needs to be given to top leadership failings.
“Senior doctors throughout the region will be watching with interest as two new chief executives are appointed, and will
want to be assured that they are open to clinical engagement and leadership on important health service improvement
issues. So far they haven’t been.”
ENDS