Doctors turn on Health Minister

Accusations of political meddling are raining down on Health Minister Pete Hodgson after he rejected a doctor the Medical Council wanted on its governing body following an election.

"[It is] an arrogant display of giving the fingers to the profession," Ian Powell, the executive director of the senior doctors' union, said yesterday.

Until the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act came into force in 2004, the country's 8000 doctors elected four of the 10 members of the council, their licensing authority, the rest appointed by the minister.

All appointments are now controlled by the minister. The act permits him to allow elections, but he has chosen not to. So the council's elections this year were not binding and it could only recommend Mr Hodgson appoint the four winners.

But last month he appointed only three. In place of the fourth, Waiheke Island GP Dr Barnett Bond - who declined to comment yesterday - he has retained an unsuccessful candidate from the latest and preceding elections, retired Christchurch specialist Dr Peter Moller.

Mr Hodgson appointed Dr Moller last year after the resignation of elected member Dr Pippa MacKay, who became chairwoman of the Researched Medicines Industry Association.

The minister said yesterday Dr Moller should not be removed after serving 16 months, less than half of a three-year term.

His power of appointment was one way of protecting public safety, the act's main purpose.

"So there it is ... no agenda, no desire to shut out the profession and certainly no wish to undermine confidence in the council."

But that is not the view of the Pan Professional Medical Forum, a group representing the senior and junior doctors' unions, the Medical Association and the Council of Medical Colleges. It said Mr Hodgson's move threatened the Medical Council's authority.

Dr Powell said it appeared Mr Hodgson was asserting his authority simply because he could.

It was political interference and marked a deterioration in the relationship between the medical profession and the minister.

National's health spokesman, Tony Ryall, said doctors should be permitted to appoint four members.

"It is important for the credibility of the council that it has the strong support and involvement of the medical profession. That is at risk with the Government's meddling."

The Medical Council's chairman, Professor John Campbell, said it had unsuccessfully advocated the retention of the old appointment set-up and was still talking to Mr Hodgson about his appointments.

"We are still hoping to get the four top-polling candidates appointed."

The old system gave doctors confidence in the council, he said. " ... We rely on the profession to refer practitioners through if they have concerns either because of reasons of health or competence."