Interim CEO for Capital Coast DHB Appointed

Media release

4 September 2013

Interim CEO for Capital Coast DHB Appointed

The Board of Capital & Coast District Health Board has today announced the appointment of Debbie Chin as the interim chief executive of the DHB following the resignation of current CEO Mary Bonner last month. Mrs Chin is to take up the position from Monday 9 September for an estimated six months while the search for a permanent appointee is undertaken.

The changeover is a little sooner than was originally planned, says Board Chair Dr Virginia Hope, but this earlier date works well for everyone concerned and the Board is keen to move forward to maintain continuity and momentum.

“We are at an important point in the development of services and service capacity, having achieved significant improvements in our productivity over the last two years. We do not want to lose the momentum that has been achieved.

“We are also looking to sustain closer relationships with our DHB neighbours at Hutt Valley and Wairarapa DHBs, which has the potential to further enhance the clinical connections and services provided by our respective DHBs.

“These developments and directions are highly valued by the Board, as are the improvements that have been achieved in the relationship between management, the Board, and staff in recent years.

In addition, Capital & Coast DHB continues to face financial challenges with an ambitious Annual Plan for the financial year recently commenced and we want that to remain on target.

For these reasons, the Board is putting in place an interim CEO with strong sector experience, leadership skills, CCDHB knowledge and financial capability to take the DHB forward.

Mrs Chin has been the Board's Crown Monitor and has been CEO of Standards New Zealand for the last five years. She has extensive experience of the health sector, having been Deputy Director-General, Corporate and Information at the Ministry of Health for seven years - including a period as Acting Director-General. She has also worked in the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet in a health advisory role.

Mrs Chin has been Crown Monitor for CCDHB since 2009 and for HVDHB since 2010. She has vacated those roles to take up this position. This is an executive appointment by the Board, reporting to the Board, not a Crown appointment.

“As a consequence of her work with the DHB she is very familiar with its strategic direction and the local, sub-regional and regional environment in which we operate. She has good connections with the community health sector and is also known to many key personnel across the organisation. This is a real advantage,” says Dr Hope.

“For all these reasons the Board believes that she will be able to provide leadership and continuity for the DHB while we seek a new permanent CEO. Debbie will be seconded from Standards New Zealand until further notice but for at least six months.

“As Mary Bonner vacates the CEO position at the end of this week, the Board wishes to recognise the significant contribution she has made on a number of fronts. Under her leadership CCDHB has made good progress on its performance against national health targets, improved the provision of elective services, strengthened linkages and joint planning with primary and community care, worked closely with our DHB neighbours and reduced our deficit. These are all foundation achievements for the future of CCDHB,” she says.

ENDS

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