The Southern District Health Board has announced the medical directors of its new clinical departments.
New restructured departments now cover both Otago and Southland, and the medical roles are more powerful because of a different decision-making process the board has introduced.
The appointees are: Surgical, Murray Fosbender; older person's health, clinical support and community, Dr Stephen Chalcroft; mental health, addictions and intellectual disability, Dr James Knight; women's, children's and public health, Dr Marion Poore.
The role of director of the medical department - which has the most staff of the five departments, at 730 - was not filled internally and would be advertised, an email to health board staff said yesterday.
Dr Brendon Rae had been seconded to the role in the meantime.
Apart from Mr Fosbender, who is based in Invercargill, the other clinical heads are Dunedin-based. However, a spokesman said the locations of the new roles was still being worked out.
Staff submissions on the changes raised concerns the new roles were too big.
The roles took effect on December 10, apart from Dr Poore, whose role is effective from January 7.
In the email to staff, patient services medical director Dick Bunton said the appointees would be making contact with colleagues to familiarise themselves with their new roles.
The board has previously announced appointees to the general manager and nursing leader roles in the five new departments.
