The Southern District Health Board has now spent at least
$410,000 obtaining outside advice in a bid to improve its
financial performance.
Figures released under the Official Information Act updates
what the board is paying business services company
PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC).
The company was contracted around the middle of last year,
when the board discovered its financial projections had been
significantly wrong. PWC has charged $410,000, excluding gst,
up to November 31. Its work continues. The board has refused
to state the number of hours billed, citing the company's
objection. PWC's rate was a ''considerable discount'' from
what it normally charged, board communications director Steve
Addison said.
''With regards to the request for the number of hours worked,
while PWC are happy to provide this information to SDHB for
audit and review purposes, they deem this information
commercially sensitive as the fees and hours allow the
calculation of their hourly rates.
''Therefore, the release of this commercial and confidential
information into the public domain could be very damaging to
their business.''
The board last November declined to release the PWC report
that identified $30 million savings over three years. The
Otago Daily Times has complained to the Office of the
Ombudsman.
Finance and risk committee chairman Tim Ward said yesterday
he expected to see specific cost-saving projects presented to
his committee, and probably the full board, in March. He did
not know when they would be made public.
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.