The widow of a man who died of a heart attack while on the Auckland DHB waiting list for treatment is unconvinced the board has changed enough to avoid similar occurrences.

Forget chips and dip after work on Friday - the Air New Zealand sports and social club has an $8 million property portfolio with which to treat workers.

A threat to ban smokers from Auckland's top DHB splits nzherald readers.

North Island hospitals are receiving Christchurch earthquake victims and plan to send specialists to help in the devastated city.

Nurses have resorted to wearing human flea collars on their ankles to protect against an infestation of the biting insects at Auckland hospitals, brought in by patients who own pets.

Some central Auckland patients could be treated at North Shore and Waitakere Hospitals under a spirit of collaboration, the man now responsible for nearly one million Aucklanders' health has indicated.

The Auckland District Health Board will apologise to a mother whose unborn baby did not survive a publicly funded procedure at Auckland Hospital and was sent a $2200 bill for the treatment.

The Associate Health Minister says he is confident it is safe for a schizophrenic man who beat a friend to death to be out unescorted in public, despite the victim's brother's pleas.

A schizophrenic man who beat a friend to death after being released from psychiatric care - despite telling staff he wanted to kill someone - is allowed back into the community without supervision.