Cullen Michael: Ministerial Statements — Capital and Coast District Health Board—Appointment of Crown Monitor 
Cullen Michael: Ministerial Statements — Capital and Coast District Health Board—Appointment of Crown Monitor 
[Volume:644;Page:13951] 
Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN (Deputy Prime Minister) 
: 
 I wish to make a ministerial statement under Standing Order 348 relating to the appointment of a Crown monitor for Capital and Coast District Health Board. Over recent months a number of issues relating to the management of Capital and Coast District Health Board have become significant concerns for the Government and for the Wellington community. Without at this time rehashing points that have already been made and fairly widely debated within this House I will say that the quality of health services is a major priority for the Labour-led Government that we invest heavily in it and that we have achieved real and measurable improvements right across New Zealand.  
The priority we place on improving health services for our families also means that when our standards are not met and when the public has a right to feel that their expectations are not being met then the Government must act. At the Cabinet committee this week Ministers discussed the problems facing the board and a range of proposals to address them. We endeavoured not to make a decision in haste. We knew we had to get this decision right. The Government has just announced—the Hon David Cunliffe being in Auckland today—that a new chair and a Crown monitor will be appointed to Capital and Coast District Health Board. The Crown monitor who will report directly to the Minister is Dr Ian Brown an obstetrician and gynaecologist who is the current Director of Medical Services at the Northland District Health Board. He is also the former chair of the national Chief Medical Officers’ Forum and has been a member of the National Medical Strategy Workforce Group. I acknowledge that Dr Hutchison who of course was a practitioner in this area recognises Dr Brown’s expertise and value.  
The new chair is Sir John Anderson the current chairman of Television New Zealand and of course one of New Zealand’s pre-eminent business leaders with a proven record in governance. Ken Douglas will remain as deputy chair to provide continuity.  
Of course the Government at this point is appointing new board members in any case to all district health boards around the country and therefore of course the fact is that appointing a new chair is by itself not necessarily a matter of particular note but in the case of Wellington it obviously bears some relationship to other matters.  
The first priority for the new board and the Crown monitor will include consulting with clinical staff on the creation of a forward plan for the district health board. As well as appointing the Crown monitor the discussion on providing deficit support to Capital and Coast District Health Board will continue. Discussions with the board will focus on deficit support in order to relieve some of the financial pressure currently experienced by the board. This does not mean that it has an open cheque book. It means that this district health board is expected to resolve the issues it has and that the Government will be working with them to ensure that all solutions are sustainable.  
In closing I think it is important to stress that the vast majority of Wellingtonians who rely on Capital and Coast District Health Board get a very high standard of service. The doctors nurses and other staff at the region’s public health facilities are committed and hard-working. They deserve praise not the ridicule that some members of this House have expressed.