Health Rating System A Farce

MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
WEDNESDAY 25 JUNE 2003

“Health Rating System A Farce”

“The Ministry of Health’s system of rating the performance of district health boards is a farce if the most recent report which rated South Canterbury the highest of the 21 boards is any indication,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today.

“While South Canterbury senior doctors, nurses and other health professionals have performed very well despite difficult circumstances, it is absurd that a district health board that is ridden with so much internal conflict, strife and tension in the relationships between senior management and the workforce and the board itself and the workforce gets the top ranking.”

“Such was the level of conflict, strife and tension that South Canterbury senior doctors took unprecedented strike action early this year. This was the first time that any group of senior doctors had ever taken strike action in New Zealand and yet the district health board gets the top rating. Internal relationship chaos and dysfunction seem not to matter to those responsible for administering this rating system. This glaring contradiction makes it difficult for those working at the health ‘coal-face’ to take this rating seriously.”

“Rather than rate things that can be counted, it would much better and more relevant to examine those things that matter more such as effective working relationships and leadership styles,” concluded Mr Powell.

Ian Powell

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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