The newly-formed expert panel on war veterans' health could hold its first meeting as early as next month, its Dunedin chairman says.
The government-funded panel, named by Veterans Affairs Minister Judith Collins earlier this month, has two main roles - to consider war-related health issues, and to recommend what level of war pensions should be paid for particular illness and disabilities.
Prof John Campbell, a geriatric medicine specialist who works for the University of Otago and Dunedin Hospital, said he would call the panel together for its first meeting as soon as possible.
It would meet at least four times a year, but its priorities, workload and schedule would not be known until the first meeting.
"There are lots of issues to discuss and the minister will have her priorities too. We will have to determine at the first meeting whether four meetings a year is enough."
He expected some work would be carried out between meetings by panel members and the administrative assistants provided by Veterans Affairs.
Dunedin has three representatives on the eight-person panel.
As well as Prof Campbell, other members include University of Otago cancer specialist Associate Prof Brian Cox and Vietnam veteran and former national RSA president John Campbell.
Prof Campbell said he was approached by his namesake to consider joining the panel.
He said yes because veterans' health was "a very important project".
"I am sure it will be worthwhile and interesting . . . My reward will be to bring expertise to different clinical issues which are important to this group of individuals and [make decisions] which will result in more consistency and fairness."
