For those of us who lived through the traumas of the NZ Health Reforms of the 1990s, the story that has recently emerged from the Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) makes us feel very sad indeed. Healthcare staff were bullied and intimidated, senior nurses were forced out of work and the short-term fiscal imperative was put before patient care. READ MORE:* Call for government intervention into Canterbury health's leadership implosion* We need to slash the number of District Health Boards* Senior Canterbury doctors say Treasury attack like 'Pearl Harbour'* Health workers, patients protest chronic health 'underfunding'* Canterbury Charity Hospital founder Phil Bagshaw slams Government data on unmet needThe changes were introduced by people who did not understand or apparently wish to understand the complexities, strength and vulnerabilities of a successful healthcare system. JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF Canterbury DHB staff protested outside the board's corporate offices after a slew of executives resigned and the board discussed potential cuts to save funds. The number of DHBs and their board makeup needs urgent reassessment, and the bloated bureaucracy within DHBs needs review.

Source: Stuff August 24, 2020 16:52 UTC