An Auckland consulting firm got more than $190,000 of public money for helping devise a plan to shake up southern health.
The Southern District Health Board is consulting the public on a plan to shift services to GP practices, and perhaps consolidate some, unidentified, specialist services with those of other DHBs.
The senior doctors' union has criticised the draft strategic health services plan for a lack of clear information.
Health Partners Consulting Group's bill of $191,246 was part of $289,407 paid by the board for the process up to October 17.
The figure did not include the bill for meetings in 10 southern centres, which finished in Dunedin last night, and associated expenses, as the board did not respond to a question about the budget for the consultation period.
Also included in the figure released under the Official Information Act: DHB team working with consultants ($83,898), document printing ($10,306), accommodation ($1610).
Chief executive Carole Heatly said the board called in the consultancy firm because, as a ''lean organisation'', it did not have enough in-house staff for the job.
