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Senior doctors have called for the resignations of two high-ranking district health board leaders who deny rumours they are about to quit after the Labtests contract debacle.
Association of Salaried Medical Specialists executive director Ian Powell yesterday called for Auckland DHB chairman Wayne Brown and deputy chairman Ross Keenan to "do the decent thing" after the High Court threw out a contract awarding the region's medical testing to Australian newcomers Labtests.
"If the health bosses don't jump, then the Health Minister should give them a good solid shove," Mr Powell said.
Auckland and the region's other two DHBs - also responsible for the contract - had wasted millions of the public's dollars, and their credibility would be lost if the two men did not step down.
"If senior doctors showed such similar poor judgment in their professional practice they would most likely lose their medical registration," Mr Powell said.
It would be hypocrisy and a double standard if different rules were to apply to health bosses.
Mr Powell said Mr Keenan - deputy chairman of all three boards - and Mr Brown had shown "very poor judgment" and "gross ignorance" over Labtests chief executive Tony Bierre's conflict-of-interest influence, and the boards' failure to consult affected parties.
"They must realise that it defies professional and commercial credibility for them to remain in their positions, no matter what other positive contributions they have made."
The two men have allegedly been approached by Health Minister Pete Hodgson's office and are said to be about to stand down.
Iwi district health board consultant Naida Glavish, of Ngati Whatua, said an Auckland board member told her the minister's office contacted Mr Brown and Mr Keenan on Friday and as a result of that conversation they were about to resign.
But both men yesterday denied they had been asked to quit and Mr Keenan said he had "no intention" of doing so.
His priority had been to arrange for an interim testing laboratory service from July 1, which he had done, and he would be making no further comment.
Last night, Mr Brown said he had not been asked to stand down. But he would not say whether ministry officials had been in touch with him.
Mr Hodgson did not respond to Herald inquiries about any such encounter.
But earlier, he made an unsolicited approach to the Herald, saying that he was "going through quite a careful process, and I have not reached a conclusion".
Mr Powell said the idea of Mr Keenan and Mr Brown keeping their positions was "just untenable".
"The health sector has gone through trauma through this ... and also millions of dollars have been lost."
