New Hawke's Bay DHB chief executive Keriana Brooking is welcomed by director general of health, Ashley Bloomfield at a pōwhiri on Monday. Photo / Warren Buckland
Keriana Brooking has been welcomed to her new role as chief executive of Hawke's Bay District Health Board.
The former Ministry of Health deputy director-general health system improvement and innovation officially started her new role on Monday.
About 400 were in attendance at a pōwhiri held at the Te Awa o te Hauora Marae at Hawke's Bay Fallen Soldiers' Memorial Hospital in Hastings on Monday morning.
The new chief executive has held positions including a senior role at the Ministry of Health since 2014 and general manager and deputy chief executive of Midlands Health Network.
She will replace interim chief executive Craig Climo.
Brooking, who is of Ngāti Pāhauwera and Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa decent, previously stated the importance of Maori healthcare.
"One of the ways we can impact Māori health outcomes is by improving access to healthcare," she said.
"From a national perspective, my teams have been heavily involved in initiatives, such as extending free GP visits, which go some way to doing this. Ensuring health practitioners in rural pockets of Hawke's Bay feel well supported and heard is also an important part of this process.
"This is where really understanding the value of relationships and networks plays an important part and how you need to work every day at maintaining those relationships."
Brooking added: "There was no other district health board that I would have applied for other than Hawke's Bay. I couldn't see myself and my whakapapa going anywhere else - it is a homecoming of sorts."
The region's leaders and mayors were in attendance on Monday, as well as the director general of health, Dr Ashley Bloomfield.
After 15 years with Bloomfield as her boss, Brooking resigned to carve her own path. Bloomfield previously told Hawke's Bay Today he relied heavily on Brooking in the nation's response to Covid-19.
He said he had "huge confidence" in Brooking, a well-respected, senior member of the team who was "incredibly well thought of".
"We have worked incredibly well together and I know she will make a difference in the DHB," he said.
"It will be sad to be losing her but she goes with our complete respect and support. I have huge confidence that she will step neatly into the role."
Tukituki MP Lawrence Yule welcomed Brooking's arrival and is already looking ahead to key priorities within the sector.
"I wish to work constructively with her to tackle the issues faced by the HBDHB, including the $32m deficit that was recently announced," he said.
"Over my three years as MP I remain more worried about the health spend in Hawke's Bay than any other single issue."
Yule added: "I am getting a constant stream of requests for assistance with elective surgery and health-related matters."
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the pōwhiri demonstrated the respect and popularity Brooking has within the health sector.
"The HBDHB is our region's largest employer and we look forward to working with her to help address some of our region's challenging health statistics," she said.
Hawke's Bay DHB board chairman Shayne Walker was delighted with the appointment.
"Brooking is a very experienced senior health leader who will bring her breadth of knowledge in not only health system improvement and innovation, but in her ability to lead with influence and capability to Hawke's Bay."
Brooking has strong links to Hawke's Bay, as her father was born and raised in Wairoa before he moved to Oamaru.
"There is something about this special part of New Zealand, the people and the way they live, acknowledging what is great about the region and what could be different and better," she said.
Both she and husband Jack have taken part in Iron Māori events over several years and have friends and whānau in all parts of Hawke's Bay.