MEDIA RELEASE, March 10, 2000

High Maori/Pacific Interest in HHS Boards

Health Minister Annette King says she is delighted at the high level of Maori and Pacific interest in participating on the enlarged Hospital and Health Services boards.

Almost 1850 applications have been received from 1425 people for the extra positions on the boards. Some people have been nominated for more than one board.

Mrs King said 408 (or 22 percent) of the nominations were for Maori, and 92 (5 percent) for Pacific people.

These preliminary figures compared to figures of about 15 percent Maori and 6 percent Pacific people in the population overall, she said.

"I am particularly pleased in the level of Maori nominations. Some critics of the planned new health system have claimed Maori risk losing gains that have been made in the provision of health services for Maori by Maori.

"These figures show Maori want to become involved in the new system. They want to make it work, and I want it to work for them. I hoped for good figures, and that's what we have got."

Mrs King said the percentages for both Maori and Pacific people were even more significant because the highest totals were concentrated in areas where Maori and Pacific populations tended to be highest.

The highest percentage of Maori nominated was for the Tairawhiti Healthcare board (48 percent), with other high percentages including Northland (37), Lakeland and Hawke's Bay (both 35), Pacific Health (31), South Auckland and Waikato (both 27) and Auckland (23). There were high percentages of Pacific people nominated for South Auckland Health (16 percent), Auckland Healthcare (10) and Waitemata Health (eight).

"I am delighted with the overall response, which shows people want to become involved in health decision making. I'm even more delighted at the enthusiasm Maori and Pacific people have shown."

Mrs King said the Ministry of Health and the Crown Company Monitoring Advisory Unit had been analysing the mix of competencies and skills of the people on each existing board. The agencies would now draw up a shortlist for new positions for each board from the nominations, and this would be given to the Government for consideration. After interviews had been conducted, the new directors were expected to assume their roles in May.

Details of nominations:

------------------------ MAORI----PACIFIC----TOTAL
------------------------------------ISLAND
Northland Health--------------32--------0--------85
Auckland Healthcare----------38--------16--------164
Waitemata Health-------------34--------13--------151
South Auckland Health-------42--------25--------158
Health Waikato----------------35--------1--------132
Pacific Health------------------25--------0--------80
Lakeland Health---------------18--------2--------52
Tairawhiti Healthcare---------24--------1--------50
Taranaki Healthcare-----------12--------0--------49
Healthcare Hawkes Bay------29--------1--------82
MidCentral Health-------------13--------1--------58
Good Health Wanganui--------7--------1--------32
Capital Coast Health-----------27--------10--------161
Hutt Valley Health------------ 12--------6--------64
Wairarapa Health---------------9--------0--------38
Nelson-Marlborough Health-- 9--------0--------61
Coast Healthcare---------------1--------0--------14
Canterbury Health-------------14--------7--------140
Healthlink South--------------16--------7--------104
Health South Canterbury------2--------0--------30
Healthcare Otago--------------4--------1--------82
Southern Health-----------------5--------0--------55
----------------------------------408--------92--------1842
---------------------------------22%--------5%--------100%

© Scoop Media