Heather Roy
17 January 2023
Ian Powell, former CE of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, and I come from quite different places on the political spectrum. However, over many years we have enjoyed discussions and debate on health issues, including what New Zealand’s ideal health system would look like. Although we disagree on some of the potential solutions we are also in agreement on a number of issues. In particular we believe the only successful health system must put patients first and that the best decisions are made locally. So we were both disappointed when the Labour Government abandoned DHBs in favour of a centralised health system – it certainly isn’t the system either of us would have chosen. However, now that we have Te Whatu Ora (Health New Zealand), legislated through the Pae Ora Act we have turned our minds to identifying what needs to happen for this to actually succeed. Newsroom is publishing our article in three parts, the first of which was published today and can be found here:
One Sock: Heather Roy's Blog 