Scoring better marks in the quarterly national health targets is a priority for Bay of Plenty District Health Board's newly appointed chairwoman, Sally Webb.
The Whakatane-based executive coach and consultant was yesterday announced to succeed Mary Hackett, who chaired her final board meeting in Tauranga this month after a decade atthe helm.
Ms Webb is also a veteran advocate in the Bay health sector, having chaired the former Bay of Plenty Area Health Board among other major governance and management roles over 20 years.
She is a former member of the Health Research Council, the Midland Regional Health Authority and the Health Funding Authority, and will step down from her role as chairwoman of the Eastern Bay of Plenty Primary Health Alliance to take up her new post.
Asked by the Bay of Plenty Times whether her new job would be her largest role, she replied, "not the biggest, but the newest".
Introducing herself to those board members and executives she had not yet met would be her first step.
"You'll be aware of Bay of Plenty DHB not doing as well as we could in the health targets. We'll be looking at how we can improve that."
Ms Webb paid tribute to Mrs Hackett, with whom she has worked for 20 years.
Mrs Hackett in turn described Health Minster Tony Ryall's appointment of Ms Webb as a "very good choice".
Other appointed board members were Tamarapa Lloyd, a lawyer and the current general manager of the Ngati Whakaue Tribal Lands Incorporation and Gail McIntosh, a chartered accountant who has served previously as national treasurer of the National Council of Women. Jeffrey Williams has been re-appointed as deputy chair.
