The financially failed Southern District Health Board spent more than $486,800 on a consultancy firm it contracted to give ''expert advice'' on its plight.
Work carried out by Alma Consulting, of Auckland, covers a 13-month period ending last month, more than $37,000 a month.
The figure was released by chief executive Carole Heatly under the Official Information Act.
Ms Heatly said Alma's work included reviewing expenditure and budgets while senior analysts were recruited and trained to do the work in-house.
The board has refused to release reports written by the firm, a decision under investigation by the Office of the Ombudsman after a complaint by the Otago Daily Times.
Alma is the latest of a string of consulting firms hired in recent years.
Spending included $639,000 on PricewaterhouseCoopers, and $191,246 on Health Partners Consulting Group.
The first month of the commissioner regime at Southern District Health Board has cost the board more than $38,500 in fees and expenses.
Information released yesterday in a second Official Information Act response covered fees, travel, accommodation, and meal expenses of commissioner Kathy Grant, and deputies Richard Thomson and Graham Crombie.
Between June 18 and July 16, Mrs Grant charged for 12 days' work at $1400 per day, a total of $16,800 in fees.
Mr Thomson charged for eight days, Mr Crombie charged for 13.5 days.
Mr Thomson and Mr Crombie receive $900 per day charged. Mrs Grant's mileage expenses were $502.
Mr Thomson charged $520.5 mileage, and Mr Crombie charged $740.5 mileage.
The trio charged $77.5 each for meals, and $122 each for accommodation.
A third deputy, Dr Angela Pitchford, was appointed on July 22.
The board was sacked in June because of the organisation's persistent deficit.
