Government condones attempt to intimidate Canterbury DHB leadership

“The announcement that respected acting Chair of Canterbury District Health Board Sir Mark Solomon will not be confirmed in this position sends yet another threatening message. That is, advocating for quality accessible health services for the Canterbury population will be responded to by attempted intimidation if the Government does not like the message,” says Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists (ASMS).

He was commenting on today’s announcement by Health Minister Jonathan Coleman about the appointment of Chairs and deputy Chairs to both the Canterbury and South Canterbury district health boards. John Wood has been appointed Chair of Canterbury DHB, with the person temporarily in the role – Sir Mark Solomon – named as his deputy (https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/chairs-appointed-canterbury-and-south-canterbury-dhb).

This announcement follows a furore over the release of Treasury papers on the DHB’s financial performance, which ASMS and others viewed as a deliberate attempt to intimidate and silence senior DHB officials who question the adequacy of government funding (https://www.asms.org.nz/news/asms-news/2017/07/20/government-message-dhb-heads-keep-quiet-else). 

“Now we hear that Sir Mark Solomon, who is highly respected by senior doctors, the DHB’s Board and management, as well as the community, has been dropped from the top position on the Board,” says Ian Powell. 

“I can’t think of a Board Chair more respected. Why on earth would the Government not confirm him as Chair for any reason other than attempted political intimidation?

“If I was the DHB’s Chief Executive David Meates, who has consistently raised with much frankness the challenges and realities of trying to provide health care without enough resourcing post-quakes, then I’d be wondering if I too have a target on my back.

“The people of Canterbury suffering in the aftermath of the earthquake devastation and the dedicated DHB health staff doing their best to help them don’t deserve to be subjected to this ongoing war of attrition from the politicised bureaucracy in Wellington.

“The Health Minister should be disciplining rather that endorsing Treasury’s poor conduct. Rather than being central to the solution of this unacceptable situation, Dr Coleman is making himself central to the problem.”