District health boards that do heart surgery cannot produce reliable comparisons of individual surgeons' patient complication and death rates.

The Waikato District Health Board has backed its incoming chief executive, despite concerns about his time overseeing a Canadian health authority.

The new boss of Waikato's DHB was in charge of one of the worst-performing Canadian health authorities - and Labour has questioned his appointment.

There is a claim the lives of 20 babies at Waikato Hospital were put at risk when maintenance staff turned off the air to their breathing supply last week.

The Waikato District Health Board has lifted its ban on women having their labours and births photographed professionally - provided no intervention is required.

A psychiatric assistant who forced a young autistic patient to the ground and held him in a head lock was justifiably dismissed, the ERA rules.

Hundreds of health workers are being bitten, head-butted and assaulted while they look after sick, injured and distressed patients.

The Waikato District Health Board is offering free whooping cough vaccinations to women from 20 weeks of pregnancy up until to two weeks after the birth of their babies.

Primary health care in Waikato faces future where demand outstrips resources, DHB told.