DHB parent body transparency bill to get hearing

A member's bill aimed at making the parent body of district health boards more open has been drawn from the ballot.

National Party associate health spokeswoman MP Dr Jackie Blue's Official Information (Openness of District Health Boards New Zealand) Amendment Bill will be debated by Parliament next month.

The organisation is funded by the taxpayer through its 21 district health boards.

"While other taxpayer-funded organisations are open to scrutiny and accountability, this secretive organisation is not," Dr Blue said. "It is not subject to the Official Information Act."

Medical Association chairman Dr Ross Boswell said it was good DHBNZ would face scrutiny, adding that in his view the body should be disbanded.

"DHBNZ is increasingly taking on coordination and operational policy functions, which should more appropriately be carried out by the Ministry of Health," he said.

"However, DHBNZ is only accountable to the DHBs. One aspect of this has been the inability to obtain information about its activities under the Official Information Act, but there are wider issues, including its approach to consultation."

- NZPA