7. Question No. 7—HealthHon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Associate Minister of HealthQuestion No. 7—Health7. Hon MICHAEL WOODHOUSE (National) to the Associate Minister of Health: Does she have confidence in the Southern DHB's plans for an integrated Primary Maternity System of Care across the district?Hon JENNY SALESA (Associate Minister of Health) on behalf of the Associate Minister of Health (Julie Anne Genter): Southern DHB are responsible for providing appropriate maternity care to their population. It is clear from the recent review of the implementation of the primary maternity system of care that the DHB has a lot of work to do to regain the trust of the community. I expect all of the recommendations of that review to be implemented by the DHB and its newly elected board. I have asked for stronger oversight for Southern DHB maternity services to ensure these changes are made promptly.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Does she agree with the Minister of Health who told this House in May In designing Southern DHB's integrated primary maternity system of care and maternal and child hubs I'm confident that the Southern DHB has designed a good system of maternity care across its district."?Hon JENNY SALESA: I'm advised that the Minister of Health and his officials asked for a review of the DHB's plans prior to their implementation. The advice was that the plan which included new services in Wānaka and Te Ānau was appropriate. However as the recently released implementation review confirms the DHB did not bring the local community along with their changes from 2016 onwards. The DHB has accepted the review's findings.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Does she think it was safe to implement maternity hubs in Lumsden and Wānaka when as the report highlighted the very definition of a maternity hub was not even articulated?Hon JENNY SALESA: As I answered in my primary answer the DHB has accepted all of the recommendations in the review report. It is working with its newly elected board to ensure that it implements those recommendations. I have asked the Ministry of Health to have strong oversight on the Southern DHB to ensure that they implement it as efficiently as possible.Hon Damien O'Connor: Cleaning up nine years of mess.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Ha ha! Really? Why was such an important project embarked upon with virtually no clinical representation as indicated in the report?Hon JENNY SALESA: I do not have that information at hand right now. However if the member would care to put that question in writing I will ensure that he gets a response provided from the ministry promptly.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Will she require the Southern District Health Board to suspend its change programme until she can be satisfied that they have the resources and ability to implement it in the face of such a damning report?Hon JENNY SALESA: Any decision on local services is a matter for the DHB and their newly elected board. As Associate Minister I cannot direct the DHB on operational decisions but I can assure the House that I've asked the Ministry of Health to provide strong oversight as the DHB responds to the recommendations on the recently released review.Hon Michael Woodhouse: Is the only thing being delivered for northern Southland by the Government in the year of delivery the delivery of babies on the side of the road?SPEAKER: Order!Hon JENNY SALESA: I absolutely reject that question."