Concerns about a "them and us" mentality between Dunedin and Invercargill health staff has been revealed in submissions on a high-level restructuring at the Southern District Health Board.
Names of submitters were deleted, despite staff being advised their submission could be released under freedom of information law.
"This means any member of the public or media can request copies of all submissions, " staff were told in April.
The Otago Daily Times has referred the matter to the Office of the Ombudsmen.
The ODT did not ask for submissions from the 35 staff who had requested anonymity.
For the 25 released, the DHB decided to delete names, saying staff might be put off making submissions otherwise.
A strong theme is a sense the DHB is fragmented between Dunedin and Invercargill, without an effective leadership structure.
"We think that over the last couple of years there have been evidence of defensiveness and, while co-operation has been happening, there has been an element of them and us [Invercargill and Dunedin] on both sides, which has made true progress challenging," a submitter said.
Another said the executive management team was "dysfunctional and ineffective". It had "little credibility" with staff.
The restructuring proposal did not go far enough to address "baggage" the top team carried from the old DHBs before the 2010 merger of Otago and Southland.
Because it favoured incumbents, the proposal would mean having "few changes in names at the top table".
Decision-making concerned several submitters.
"The current environment is one of apparent paralysis. I think there is too much interference in the ability to run a service on a day-to-day basis, with having to continually run things up the food chain," one said.
Another said Invercargill-based staff felt "slightly second class", because many key roles seemed to be promoted as Dunedin-based.
While the submissions relate to the restructured executive team, many speak of subsequent changes planned to remove duplications in Dunedin and Invercargill.
One pointed out there had been "numerous attempts" over the past two years for better co-operation between the two centres, with little success.
Submitters differed on whether site-specific chief medical officers should be kept, some contending local leadership was vital, but many others saying it risked perpetuating problems.
The DHB opted for a single chief medical officer, but has yet to announce the appointee.
The DHB proposes merging clinical departments in Otago and Southland, but is yet to release a proposal for change.
