Board pleased with outcome of review

MEDIA RELEASE

8 December 2003

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board pleased with outcome of review

Hawke’s Bay District Health Board today congratulated the management team on the completion and final outcome of the Management and Administration Review.

Chair, Kevin Atkinson said “Early in 2002 the Board was facing a $9 million deficit and a perception that the costs associated with management and administration at the DHB were high and asked for an external review of staffing structure and roles.”

Following the review conducted by Cap Gemini Ernst and Young, a number of opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness and reduce costs were identified. 19 projects were initiated to plan and implement the management and administration programme of change.

“The Board appreciates that this was a large scale review which impacted on staff. The end result however is a sustainable structure which meets the needs of the organisation, is efficient and provides effective management and administration support for the delivery of health care in Hawke’s Bay,” says Kevin.

Throughout the programme of change the emphasis was on identifying ways to improve processes and systems that would deliver sustainable cost benefits. As a result over $1.2 million was saved in the 2002/2003 year with on-going efficiencies built into 2003/2004 budgets. This programme was one of a number of initiatives undertaken under the umbrella of the Performance Improvement Programme, which delivered $2.5 million in savings in the 2002/2003 year.

Says Chris Clarke, Chief Executive Officer. “I am pleased to advise the Board that the management and administration programme is now complete. While 25 positions were disestablished the process realised a very significant benefit in clarifying roles and responsibilities at a number of levels of the organisation. I thank all staff involved and affected by this process for their commitment to delivering this result.

“We must however remain focussed on reaching a breakeven position at the end of this financial year and will continue to monitor expenditure in order to deliver the best health services we can within the resources available.”

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