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10 May 2007

DHB Boss Has Head in Clouds; Rabid Scaremongering 

“The boss of the Otago District Health Board has his head in the clouds and has displayed a poor understanding of how health services are provided,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.  Mr Powell was responding to the statement this morning by the Chair of the Otago DHB, Richard Thompson, that “surgery may be cut and jobs lost” if the DHBs accept collective agreement claims.

“This is rabid scaremongering and is a pathetic attempt to scapegoat health professionals and other DHB employees.  He is trying to justify workforce exploitation.”

“Health by its very nature is workforce intensive.  Most of our difficulties in providing services are due to workforce shortages.  New Zealand can’t have high quality accessible and comprehensive health services without skilled health professionals.  This is ABC stuff which Mr Thompson fails to understand.”

“If Mr Thompson’s outburst is typical of the ‘leaders’ of our DHBs can we have better quality leaders please,” concluded Mr Powell.

Ian Powell
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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