Self-funded dinner to mark end of board

There would be no lavish end-of-an-era function for the cash-strapped Otago District Health Board, chairman Errol Millar said yesterday.

After discussion with his colleagues, the board's end looked likely to be marked by a self-funded dinner near the time of its last meeting on April 1, he said.

The first meeting of the new combined Southern District Health Board will be on May 6, with existing Otago and Southland ministerial appointments and elected members serving until a new board is elected in October.

There will probably be a workshop the night before the first meeting, so members can agree on "ground rules" for how the new board will operate.

Mr Millar said there were some differences in standing orders, the code of conduct for members, and delegation policies, which were being worked through by the board chairmen and some staff, but members would need to have input into this.

One aspect of the governance change to be worked through is membership of the hospital advisory committee.

All other committees have shared membership, but each board has its own hospital advisory committee.

A decision would need to be made about Otago's two board appointees on its committee, Dunedin School of Medicine dean Dr John Adams and retired cardiologist Dame Norma Restieaux.

Their terms would officially end when the board did, Mr Millar said.

The Southland committee has only elected members.