Open Letter to the Minister of Health

19 February 2008
Hon. David Cunliffe
Minister of Health
Parliament Buildings
WELLINGTON 6160

Dear Minister

AN OPEN LETTER REGARDING HAWKES BAY HEALTH SERVICES

The Mayors of Hawkes Bay, Barbara Arnott - Napier City, Lawrence Yule - Hastings District, Les Probert – Wairoa District, Trish Giddens - Central Hawke’s Bay, and Rex McIntrye, Chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, are writing to you regarding the untenable situation in supply of health services that our communities now face.

The current Chairman has the clear confidence of the community as the highest polling candidate in the October 2007 election. By contrast, the uncertain tenure for the Chair and Board has resulted in a lack of confidence in the Government’s ability to deliver health outcomes for our region.

The length of the Government’s enquiry has only added negativity to issues and the lack of certainty in any timeline for the review is untenable. This is debilitating the whole Hawke’s Bay District Health Board organisation, an outcome we know the community does not want, and we would like to be convinced that Government shares the Hawke’s Bay region’s desire to have the elected Board free to govern with all appointed representatives in place.

As the leaders in the Region, we ask for this issue to be prioritised and sorted out by the 1st March 2008. The level of our concern is reflected in this open letter, a first for Hawke’s Bay and something not done lightly. One hundred and fifty thousand citizens in our community deserve better.

Yours faithfully