MONDAY 24 JUNE 2002

“Canterbury health boss Syd Bradley has passed his used by date if his attack on the New Zealand Medical Journal is any indication,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. Mr Powell was commenting on the letter by Mr Bradley, Chairman of the Canterbury District Health Board, in the 21 June issue of the NZMJ in which he strongly criticised an earlier guest editorial by Auckland senior doctors on difficulties within the Auckland District Health Board.

“Mr Bradley wastes a valuable opportunity for constructive debate by degenerating into irrational raving and ranting. For example, he attacks the writers for not considering the Auckland DHB’s financial position despite also praising them for understanding the financial pressures on DHBS.”

“Mr Bradley then launches into an extraordinary personal attack on the Christchurch based Medical Journal editors even though they did not write the guest editorial. This bizarre behaviour may have more to do with the fact that the editors were previously among those responsible in the 1990s for exposing the serious threats to patient safety in Canterbury and, despite management attempts at intimidation, who were vindicated by the independent investigation of the Health and Disability Commissioner.”

“In light of Mr Bradley’s unbalanced literary behaviour perhaps it is time for the Minister of Health who appointed him to tap him on the shoulder and say, there, there Syd, time to move on,” concluded Mr Powell.

Ian Powell

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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