Whanganui District Health Board member has 'mixed thoughts' on health review report

Long-serving Whanganui District Health Board member Philippa Baker-Hogan says it's imperative Whanganui is not the "poor cousin" in any future health board merger.

Baker-Hogan, who has been on the board since 2004, said she had not yet read the full report by former Prime Minister Helen Clark's chief-of-staff Heather Simpson which calls for an overhaul of the district health board system "but my initial thoughts are mixed".

The "once-in-a-generation" report has recommended a significant overhaul of the country's district health board system and the creation of new health agencies.

It calls on the Government to scrap the democratic process of the public voting for DHB representatives and shift to a system where board members are appointed by the Minister of Health, based on merit.

Whanganui District Health Board member Philippa Baker-Hogan agrees some changes to the health system are needed but says there have also been positive achievements. Photo / File

"On the one hand, there is no doubt that health boards deal with complex work and the system is far too fragmented, with some very tenuous deficit DHBs around New Zealand," Baker-Hogan said.

The report recommends the creation of a new entity, Health NZ, which would focus on the operational and financial side of the health and disability sector.

The Government is also being asked to consider setting up a Māori Health Authority, which would advise on Māori Health and report on the performance of the system.

"The idea of a Māori Health Authority seems critical and I imagine will be well accepted by iwi leaders, as New Zealand has failed to serve Māori well in this critical area and fundamental change is needed, even though Whanganui is finally making some real gains in this area, with the DHB, our iwi partners and PHOs [primary health organisations] truly committed to this work."

Baker-Hogan said she would not be standing for the DHB at the next election but was concerned about the proposal to reduce the number of DHBs from 20 to 8-12.

"I'm all for collaborative work with neighbouring DHBs and acknowledge that progress has been hard and slow with MidCentral but I strongly disagree with the notion that elected members have not 'been compelling'," she said.

"In Whanganui, I would strongly argue that elected members have been instrumental in many areas, including in helping retain a core secondary service hospital, including obstetric and gynaecological services, so families can be confident that their children can be born and cared for largely in our 'rohe'.

"While I'm not precious about Whanganui retaining an autonomous board, it is imperative that we are not the 'poor cousins', but that any merged DHBs have equal representation and capable, experienced and courageous governors."