PSA health workers bidding farewell to CCDHB boss Debbie Chin

The Public Service Association expresses regret at the decision of Capital and Coast District Health Board Chief Executive Debbie Chin to stand down at the end of the year, and are concerned that top public servants like her are bearing the brunt of Governmental underfunding of the health system.

"PSA members at CCDHB have described Debbie Chin to be a considerate and reasonable leader who worked collaboratively and respectfully with staff in a challenging financial environment," says Kerry Davies, PSA acting national secretary.

Over her long career in the public service, Ms Chin has been a deputy director-general at the Ministry of Health and a health adviser for the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. She began her work with CCDHB in 2009 as a crown monitor.

"It’s an almost insurmountable task to steer an organisation the size of CCDHB when resources are so thin and Governmental support and leadership is minimal," says Ms Davies.

"DHB chiefs like Ms Chin are operating on severely limited budgets that mean people are unable to access the health services they need when they need it."

"The Minister’s insistence on ‘finding efficiencies’ in a system already starved of funding is an ideological legacy project that future board chairs will have to deal with as well."

"Four Chief Executives have resigned from CCDHB due to underfunding, and turning around significant net debt is not going to be solved without proper investment in the sector."

"We wish Ms Chin the best from our members on the frontline and hope that her resignation will spur action from the Minister, who desperately needs to take heed and restore funding to the health sector."

ENDS

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