King defends health posts

By TONY GEE

Excluding people who work in health sectors from serving on district health boards would result in few people being left to do board jobs, says Health Minister Annette King.

She accused Northland MP John Carter of being unfair and mischievous in his request for an investigation into a potential conflict of interest involving Northland District Health Board chairwoman Lynette Stewart.

Mrs Stewart also heads the Te Tai Tokerau Maori Health Purchasing Organisation (Mapo).

Annette King said Mrs Stewart's interests had always been declared.

She had chaired the Northland board for three years and was a board member before that.

Doctors, nurses and pharmacists all served on health boards, said Annette King. If health sector staff were excluded from board membership, there would be few people left who could do the job.