Hawke's Bay District Health Board's head of paediatrics, Russell Wills, has been appointed Children's Commissioner.
Dr Wills will relinquish his non-clinical duties when he takes over the role in July, but will continue his paediatric work part-time at Hawke's Bay Hospital.
His role as Children's Commissioner will be part-time and supported bya deputy.
Dr Wills was "delighted" with his appointment. "It's a great opportunity and now's a good time ... [because] I think there's a real commitment around the country to improve things for children," he said.
Those things included reducing family violence and child poverty. As well as being a paediatrician, Dr Wills had undertaken research in before-school checks evaluation, family violence intervention and CYF foster care support.
In 2002 he established a family violence intervention programme with Miranda Ritchie, which trained 1500 staff to ask the hard questions around domestic abuse.
The number of non-accidental admissions of Hawke's Bay children to hospital had halved in the five years since the project's inception. The programme was rolled out nationwide and Dr Wills suspected its success was one of the factors behind his appointment. Social Development minister Paula Bennett, in announcing Dr Wills' appointment yesterday, said he had the right credentials to enhance the "hugely important" role.
"As a practising community paediatrician Dr Wills brings his expertise and ongoing connection with real families on the front line."
National MP Chris Tremain said Dr Wills was nationally respected for his work and the appointment recognised "his outstanding work as an advocate for children in the Bay".
