Professor Lester Levy has been appointed as a member and Chair of the Board of Health New Zealand – Te Whatu Ora (Health NZ), Health Minister Dr Shane Reti announced today.
“Professor Levy has extensive experience working in the health system and will provide strong leadership to Health NZ through a period of ongoing change,” said Reti.
“The challenges Health NZ faces are a result of the poorly planned health reforms of the last government and have highlighted to me the urgent need for further transformation.
“Today’s appointment of a new Chair is in addition to the previous appointment of a Crown observer and a new board member with specialist financial expertise.
“These measures are part of our Government’s plan to put Health NZ on a better footing. The Labour government failed to acknowledge a health crisis and failed in its duty to provide adequate oversight and support during a period of massive upheaval for health.
“This resulted in significant turbulence for Health NZ, particularly in workforce where we know having a strong frontline is key.
“Professor Levy is well suited to help meet these challenges through his background in leading organisational performance transformation in both the public and private sectors.
“As he takes up the role, there are some positive signs around workforce, with the most recent figures showing a surge in nursing appointments under our Government.
“The nursing workforce has grown by over 1,000 FTE so far in 2024, and the senior medical office workforce by more than 80 FTE.This comes on top of an increase of almost 2,500 extra FTE nurses between December 2022 and December 2023.
“While nurse numbers are now generally tracking well, we know there’s still work to do in mental health, midwifery and intensive care, and there are also needs in primary and community care.
“Simultaneously, the massive task of recruiting and employing these new workforces has resulted in shifting cost areas which Health NZ needs to meet on an ongoing basis.
“As it prioritises funding from yesterday’s Budget to these areas, I expect Health NZ and its leadership to be actively targeting recruitment to the areas of highest frontline need.
“Our Government is fully committed to ongoing and significant investment in health. We want to deliver a health system which serves the needs of New Zealanders by focusing on workforce, targets, infrastructure and financial sustainability.
“I thank our health workforce for their hard work despite Labour’s damaging reforms.
“I would also like to again thank outgoing Health NZ Chair, Dame Dr Karen Poutasi for her service on the Board.
“I am looking forward to seeing the continued progress this Government will make to improving the health system for all New Zealanders.”
Professor Lester Levy will take up the role for a two-year term from 1 June 2024.
Delusional bull****. NZ Health is in absolute crisis. I waited over 8 hours in a lot of pain about 3 days ago for treatment. Many people were so exhausted they left. I wonder how many will be back with even worse problems, needing additional care? The overworked doctors and nurses kept coming out to apologise and see who was still waiting.
Another bunch of globalist neo cons, who will FAIL to fix the obvious need for extra funding and higher salaries. One nurse commented on nurses leaving, going off shore for better pay and conditions. Who can blame them.
I wonder if you were maybe at the same hospital as my relative. 9 hours it took for a 2 hour IV medication (requested under urgency by Specialist) …..yip….we are in a Health crisis!
It wasn’t only poorly planned health measures, it was largely the ritard covid health response, supported by the right bald face liar,apparent Dr, Shane Reti.
How are those mandated useless shots working out Shane? Do you support Michael Baker’s view on masks?
If we hadn’t mandated staff and wasted money on dangerous untested experimental vaccines then we might be better off.
I don’t even know what it’s called anymore. Is this the ministry of health?
The depth of the holes mentioned in this weeks budget is a clear sign that Labour did their absolute best to obliterate our economy. Worse than that, will be the unravelling of the issues underpinning the poor state of our Health system.
The inability for this Govt to fund the Cancer treatments ‘as promised’ in their election campaign is a disgrace. Enabling increased age of Breast screening is only effective when the surgical staff, nurses and life saving treatments are readily available for those who need them (resulting from abnormal screening).
This Govt needs to transparently deliver the ‘as is’ data relative to every component of Health to enable every New Zealander to decide how best to manage their own health. Private/public/ move away (Australia) / self funded. Once you get on the Health system train, it is incredibly difficult to step off!
Health will be the one entity that will either make or break this Govt’s tenure.