Resignation of Southern DHB member Ilka Beekhuis

Today I have accepted the resignation of Ilka Beekhuis from the Southern District Health Board. I thank her for her many contributions on a range of important health topics over the past two years.

These are challenging times and as a health board it is important that we are able to show leadership and teamwork in pursuing the most important tool we have available to us to protect our communities against COVID. Therefore her decision to resign is the correct call to make.

I have decided to resign from my elected position with the Southern District Health Board.

I remain passionate about the health and wellbeing of the community, and have been privileged to work with many similarly committed people over the past two years in my role. I share many of the views of the health board, however not all, and have recently not been able to reconcile these positions. Thank you to those who elected me to this position and have supported me in the role. I would also like to thank my fellow board members and wish them every success in their work to improve the health system for the community.

This is a personal decision and I will not be making further comments about this matter.