Complaints about Waikato DHB member Dave Macpherson 'resolved'

Dave Macpherson with son and wife Tony and Jane Stevens, criticised Waikato DHB in February last year, the same month one of three complaints was made about Macpherson. Photo / Natalie Akoorie.

Three complaints made about the conduct of a health board member are now closed.

The complaints about Waikato District Health Board member Dave Macpherson have been "resolved" according to board acting chairwoman Sally Webb.

Webb and a DHB spokeswoman would not elaborate on what that meant.

But Macpherson said he was told by Webb and interim chief executive Derek Wright the complaints had been withdrawn.

Macpherson said the complaints were made by two senior managers and one middle manager at the DHB, through former chief executive Nigel Murray.

Murray took the complaints, over alleged behaviour toward staff, to the board chairman at the time, Bob Simcock.

However it's unclear if the complainants were aware or consented to their complaints being officially lodged with Simcock.

"None of the so-called complaints were actually lodged as complaints by the people involved," Macpherson said.

Simcock sought legal advice on the complaints but no action was taken.

The complaints surfaced in January this year, after they were laid in January and February last year.

One of the complaints came in the same month that Macpherson criticised the DHB over its inquiry into the death of his son Nicky Stevens.

Stevens' body was found in the Waikato River in March 2015 after leaving the Henry Bennett Centre unescorted, against Macpherson and his partner Jane Stevens' instructions.

The DHB apologised for issues leading up to Stevens' death but stopped short of accepting ultimate responsibility, prompting Macpherson to dismiss the DHB's inquiry as a "butt-covering" exercise.

Former Waikato District Health Board chief executive Dr Nigel Murray. Photo / Christine Cornege

The complaints came to light in an Official Information Act [OIA] request lodged on October 15, 10 days after Murray resigned amid an expenses scandal.

Murray is being investigated by the State Services Commissioner over irregular expenses after he spent $218,000 of taxpayer money in three years as chief executive at the DHB.

The OIA response said the complaints related to a failure to observe the standards expected of a board member in their interactions with staff.

However Macpherson said he no longer felt the complaints were genuine.

DHB spokeswoman Lydia Aydon would not confirm whether the complaints were withdrawn, or if the complainants were aware their concerns were raised by Murray with Simcock.

Simcock resigned in late November in the fallout from the Murray expenses scandal.