Disciplinary System Needed For Health Managers

MEDIA STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE,
MONDAY 6 AUGUST 2001

“Disciplinary System Needed For Poor Performing Health Managers”

“New Zealand should consider introducing a disciplinary system for poor performing health managers similar to that used for doctors,” said Mr Ian Powell, Executive Director of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, today. This is being considered in Britain following a recommendation of the recent Bristol inquiry.

“There are many cases of inefficient and poor quality managers whose actions and inaction have undermined and threatened standards of patient care and the morale of health professionals. These people are menaces but are never accountable for their failures. Some fail in one part of the country and then re-appear in another part as a supposed ‘new broom’.”

“Doctors are quite correctly subject to strict disciplinary procedures and severe penalties including heavy fines and being struck off the medical register. This should also apply to health managers. A health management register could be established so that poor performers could be struck off.”

“We have many good managers in our health system but their reputations are tarred with the same brush as these poor performers,” concluded Mr Powell.

Ian Powell

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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