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Beleaguered Whanganui District Health Board chairman Dr Patrick O'Connor resigned yesterday, saying he was doing "what's best for the board".
He is being replaced by fellow board member Kate Joblin.
Dr O'Connor told the Wanganui Chronicle the decision to step down was best for the board and the community.
Just over a month ago, Dr O'Connor was described as the worst DHB chairman in the country by National health spokesman Tony Ryall.
Mr Ryall criticised the DHB and Mr O'Connor at a select committee hearing where he referred to Whanganui Hospital's "never ending" string of medical mishaps and asked Dr O'Connor why people should have confidence in the DHB.
Dr O'Connor said the mistakes had been a learning experience.
Only two weeks ago, details of a case in which a woman died at her home from a rare heart condition soon after being discharged by Wanganui Hospital for the third time in 10 days were made public.
Health and Disability Commissioner (HDC) Ron Paterson found poor communication between doctors was the principal cause of the woman's death.
The board said no staff would be censured for the 2004 incident, but that senior doctors had made changes to systems as a result of the commissioner's findings.
The DHB is also under HDC investigation after a string of botched sterilisation operations by Czech-born gynaecologist Roman Hasil.
Dr O'Connor said he felt privileged to have been chairman and wanted to remain part of the board.
In his letter of resignation to Health Minister Pete Hodgson, Dr O'Connor said the board had taken responsibility for a number of serious errors at the hospital.
"In all these issues I have apologised where appropriate, and have tried to focus on the way forward.
"The public have often heard me say that we must and will do better. There is a limit to how long one person can keep giving this message, while still maintaining public credibility," he said.
Dr O'Connor said the new chair would have his full support and repeated his call for board unity.
Mrs Joblin said Dr O'Connor worked through some stressful times and had earned the respect and thanks of board members.
"Many of the issues facing the WDHB are long-standing and under his leadership we have made considerable progress," she said.
- NZPA
