Debate on Crown Entities, Public Organisations, and State Enterprises — Hawke’s Bay District Health Board

I thank you, Mr Chairperson Roy, for putting my leave request and the Opposition for granting me the opportunity to speak in this debate on the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board. I wanted to speak about the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board, because over the last 3 years it has made significant progress. I acknowledge the chair, Kevin Atkinson, the chief executive officer, Kevin Snee, and his chief operating officer, Warwick Frater. They have done an exceptional job of turning round this district health board, lifting it from the bottom of the not-so-well-performing district health boards to the middle of the pack, and in some areas of the six key performance indicators it is actually performing at the top of its game. I want to compliment the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board and make sure it is aware that members from across the Chamber are appreciative of its efforts to deliver better health care to the people of New Zealand—in this case, the people of Hawke’s Bay.

The Hawke’s Bay District Health Board receives about $418 million for the area each year and that covers the area right up to Wairoa and Māhia, and further south to central Hawke’s Bay. The board received another $33 million in Budget 2010-11, which has enhanced its ability to deliver. In my own electorate of Napier that additional funding has been significant. Just a few short years ago the Wellesley Road Health Centre, in particular, was facing a difficult period. It had got to the end of a 10-year lease, and the lease was coming up for renewal at an extremely high cost, so the district health board was faced with moving on from that lease. The board renegotiated the lease, bringing down the lease costs, and now we have a secure, integrated health facility in Napier at a much lower rate for another 10 years. What is great news, in particular, is that the Ministry of Health, under the leadership of Tony Ryall, is now investing in that centre. We are seeing increased specialist appointments, the investment of another $500,000 into new digital radiology equipment, and the rolling out of new technology into that facility, which is absolutely fantastic news.

In Wairoa there have been issues in attracting doctors to that area, so the voluntary bonding scheme is certainly helping there. In particular, what Kevin Snee and his team have done is to merge some of the GP practices together into an integrated family health centre based in the old hospital facility there. Again, X-ray equipment has been brought into that facility, and, once again, it is a far more practical and sustainable facility for the people of Wairoa.

I will finish my speech by touching on the work of the immunisation team, who are now recognised around New Zealand as the top team in respect of the six key performance indicators that Minister Ryall has given. I particularly acknowledge Margaret Dalton and the healthy population teams—all the primary-care nurses. This is an example of a woman and her team who have got the wider public health system together and made huge gains in the immunisation of Hawke’s Bay people, and particularly of babies. We have a record 92 percent of our under 2-year-olds immunised, which is significantly up on what was previously delivered there.

I once again thank members for the opportunity to speak on this district health board. It has made huge progress under good leadership from the board, and strong leadership from Kevin Snee as the new chief executive officer. I am proud that the district health board is delivering fantastic services for my community. Thank you.

The CHAIRPERSON (Eric Roy): Because we revisited the decision, I will re-put the question.

Report noted.

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