SSC boss Peter Hughes urges end to speculation surrounding Counties Manukau DHB

State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes. Photo / NZ Herald

State Services Commissioner Peter Hughes has called ongoing speculation about Counties Manukau DHB "extremely unfair" to former chief executive Stephen McKernan.

Hughes said last week he would urgently look into questions National MP Jami-Lee Ross raised in Parliament about financial issues at the DHB and decide whether any action was needed.

The questions raised issues about the DHB's former chief executive McKernan, and a potential conflict of interest when he was acting Director-General of Health, Hughes said in a statement.

"Ongoing speculation is extremely unfair to Mr McKernan and people should not jump to conclusions.

"I need to continue looking into this matter. I am doing that as quickly as I can. In the meantime people should step back and let the process take its course. Ongoing commentary risks compromising that process."

Hughes said he had already seen documents tabled in Parliament on Wednesday about the financial management of Counties Manukau District Health Board.

"From what I have seen today the documents do not reveal anything I was not already aware of," Hughes said.

Ross tabled two documents in Parliament on Wednesday. One has been released to the media but the other has not.