All of New Zealand's 20 district health boards will be replaced by one, single national health body responsible for the running of all hospitals, the Government has revealed. Video / Mark Mitchell
The Government's plan to shake up the New Zealand health system has been met with shock, concern and scepticism from some.
The major restructure will see the 20 district health boards replaced by one new body, Health New Zealand, which will plan services for the whole population.
The also includes a Māori Health Authority and a new agency with responsibility for public health.
Canterbury DHB Board Member Aaron Keown said it was alarming that there were no numbers attached this early on to the reform.
"The size of it is a little concerning and quite a surprise. There are two numbers that should be here. The financial cost - because essentially we will be borrowing money to deliver anything - and there's also the human cost.
"Show me the definite health outcomes that are going to make New Zealanders better off healthwise by centralising the system. If they are there I am 100 per cent supportive."
Canterbury DHB Board Member Aaron Keown Photo / Conan Young for RNZ
National described the move as "reckless" and said that replacing all DHBs across the country would see regions and smaller communities lose their voice and autonomy.
The rural sector, particularly in the South Island, had a lot of questions.
Rural General Practice Network chief executive Grant Davidson agreed with the national approach but said a rural plan needed to be a priorty to serve an already-stressed workforce at risk of leaving.
He was concerned the country's rural population of 700,000 people could get missed out again.
"Biggest disappointment was the minister went through a list of priority populations and despite the Simpson report indicating that rural were completely disadvantaged in the system, rural wasn't mentioned at all in his speech. The devil is going to be in the implementation details."
Health NZ will have four regional divisions but also district offices.
Pasifika GP Network chair Dr Api Talemaitoga works as a GP at clinics in Christchurch and South Auckland and said regional and primary healthcare providers would need a voice.
"I don't want us to lose the innovation and community voice that I think we should listen to and that is why I like the four regional entities."
Health NZ will have four regional divisions. Photo / Ministry of Health
Wayne Brown has chaired the Northland, Auckland and Tairāwhiti DHBs, and is also mayor of the Far North and said there was an "army of administrators" needing to go and said it was a "good idea" so long as it reduced bureaucracy rather than "shift it to Wellington, which has got ability to grow a cancer in bureaucracy down there."
Brown hoped a national body would allow specialists in main city hospitals to share their expertise with the regions remotely.
But the reform had been broadly welcomed by the Disability Rights Commissioner, Paula Tesoriero, who was pleased to hear recognition that the existing system has not served disabled people well.
"Last year around one in five (21.5 per cent) disabled adults reported not visiting a GP due to cost, compared to 12.7 per cent of non-disabled adults according to the New Zealand Health Survey," she said.
But, despite this shiny announcement there was still plenty of unanswered questions surrounding the reform and the devil will be in the detail.
