Changes for board likely

Anyone interested in providing "dynamic leadership" to a "flagship organisation", the Southern District Health Board, has until next Monday to dust off their CV.

That is the date applications close for the job of chief executive of the board.

Advertisements for the position suggest change is in the offing, although the board has yet to respond to the recommendations in the National Health Board's assessment released last week.

Among the 45 actions called for in the report, which criticised management for its lack of vision and strategy, is a review and realignment of management and clinical leadership by December.

It wants there to be one "clear" structure for the organisation with a regional focus on service delivery, removing duplication and providing clarity of accountability and authority.

It also asks that by the end of the year the board appoint a chief executive who "can convey an inspiring and compelling vision".

The advertisements for the chief executive's job say the new appointment will "lead the drive to new, integrated models of service provision".

The advertisements also speak of the need for exceptional relationship-building skills and leadership abilities, a deep knowledge of public health provision, experience leading academic teams, significant change management experience and commitment to provision of an excellent public health service.

Board chairman Joe Butterfield said no decision had yet been made on who would be acting chief executive in the period between incumbent Brian Rousseau leaving in mid-September, to take up a job in Adelaide, and a new appointment. That matter will be considered by the appointments and remuneration advisory committee, the board decided in its in-committee session this month.

The National Health Board report recommends some specific positions for the board executive. It asks that a director of allied, scientific and technical staff be appointed by December and by February there be representation from the university and a senior primary care clinician.

Dean of the University of Otago's Dunedin school of medicine Dr John Adams is already on the 12-person executive, but when questioned about this, the NHB assessment team leader Jill Lane said it was her understanding he was representing the school, rather than the university, and that he did not always feel part of the executive.

While the board website names Dr Adams and identifies him as the dean, earlier documents outlining the regional executive management team describe him as a University of Otago health sciences representative.

The team said it understood discussions and decisions were mainly at the medical school level, rather than university level, which "appears to be limiting the amount of strategic consideration taking place".

The report noted the involvement of the university in the development of the neurosurgery service and the recently announced gastrointestinal development centre as examples of Dunedin Hospital making greater use of the support and expertise of the university in reaching operational decisions.

- elspeth.mclean@odt.co.nz