By MARTIN JOHNSTON
A hospital manager who was seen as a martyr for his opposition to cost-cutting has been resurrected in an appointment marking the Government's new direction in the health sector.
Dr Tony Cull was one of two appointments to the board of Hamilton-based Health Waikato announced by Health Minister Annette King yesterday.
The other was of Ian Wilson as interim chairman. He is also the chairman of MidCentral Health in the Manawatu-Horowhenua area.
Dr Cull resigned as Health Waikato's chief executive in 1995, citing "differences of opinion" between him and the board. He was given a $190,000 payout.
It was widely believed that he left after opposing a business plan to slash hospital staff and spending, clashing with the then chairman, Jack Jenkins, who oversaw the drafting of the plan.
But Dr Cull said yesterday that his resignation "was never over any specific matter ... I don't want to revisit the past."
Mrs King said Dr Cull had an intimate knowledge of Health Waikato, and he would also bring a strong public health perspective to the board.
"The two appointments can be seen as the beginning of the new board-member profile that Health Waikato needs."
A Nurses Organisation manager, James Ritchie, welcomed the "sound appointment" of Dr Cull.
"He has been 100 per cent committed to the public health system. He knows the system and is committed to getting the most efficient and effective healthcare out of the dollars available in a public service and public health context rather than a commercial context."
Dr Cull agreed that he was a strong supporter of the public health system but also noted that Health Waikato and the other public-hospital companies spent hundreds of millions of dollars, "so financial responsibility goes with the brief."
He said the previous Government's health restructuring had good and bad points. The system became fragmented although understanding of the system's performance improved.
Health champion has his day
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