Appointment Of Director General Of Health
Appointment Of Chief Executive And Director General Of
Health
The State Services Commissioner, Mark Prebble,
today announced the
appointment of Stephen McKernan as
Chief Executive and Director General of
the Ministry of
Health. Mr McKernan is presently the Chief Executive
of
Counties Manukau District Health Board (DHB).
Mr
McKernan has nearly eight years' experience as a DHB Chief
Executive.
Prior to Counties Manukau, he was Chief
Executive Hutt Valley DHB, and Chief
Executive of Hutt
Valley Health.
During the 1990s he held a variety of
general management roles in the health
sector, including
General Manager Primary, Community and Commercial
Services
at Northland Health and also participated in an
exchange programme with
England's National Health
Service.
He has a Bachelor of Business Studies from Massey
University and a Diploma
in Public Health from the Royal
Society of Health.
Mark Prebble says the position of
Director-General of Health is one of the
most demanding
in the New Zealand Public Service.
"Stephen McKernan is a
very experienced chief executive in the health sector
and
has the ability required to make a successful transition
from the DHB
environment to central government.
"He has
the experience and skills required for this position. In
his
current role he is responsible for 5,600 staff and a
total budget of $930
million. His experience as chief
executive has included successfully
managing change
programmes, strategic planning, delivering on business
goals
and building relationships with health sector
stakeholders.
"Stephen McKernan has a good understanding
of the issues facing the Ministry
of Health and the wider
health sector. He is widely respected within the
sector
and will be able to build on the achievements of the
previous Chief
Executive, Dr Karen Poutasi.
"Stephen McKernan will take up his role on 31 July 2006," Mark Prebble said.
Ends