It seems that the most anemic — at least rudderless — governing board in the region is the HB District Health Board.
Diana Kirton, a third-termer whose family has more health care experience than the average medical college, commented at this week’s Board meeting: “We don’t know whether we’re broken up or not. We don’t know where we’re going.”
Here-today-maybe-gone-tomorrow Board Chair Kevin Atkinson says, meanwhile, that health outcomes in
Hawke’s Bay for the last few years “show we’re on the right track.”
Yet local headlines about the state of health, and health care, in the region send mixed signals at best, raising questions about his assertion.
Is the Health Board sick? And if so, has its malady been self-induced, or is it the victim of ill-prescribed policies and budgets from Wellington?
Ready access to quality health care is one of the most elemental and universal “rights” demanded by the public.
BayBuzz plans to get better acquainted with the Health Board and the outcomes for which it would like to earn a clean bill of health over the next term.
Meantime, your best bet is to stay healthy!
Tom