Summarised by Centrist
Health Minister Dr Shane Reti recently dismissed the remaining members of the Health NZ board, appointing Professor Levy as the new Health New Zealand Commissioner. In his address to the nation, Professor Levy highlighted the urgent need to reduce waiting times for essential health services, calling it a critical priority.
“The shortest wait is the safest wait,” Levy stated, highlighting that addressing waiting times in emergency departments, specialist appointments, surgeries, discharges, and general practitioner visits is essential.
Levy said that optimising current resources will improve healthcare delivery and reduce waiting periods.
He acknowledged the organisation’s recent financial challenges, warning of a potential deficit of $1.4 billion if the situation does not improve. “The New Zealand taxpayer deserves more value for their investment in healthcare,” he remarked.
He described Health NZ as a “bloated bureaucratic entity”, promising to transform it into a more efficient health delivery system focused on frontline services. “We aim to be an organisation defined by our opportunities and not by our problems,” Levy added.
The Health Commissioner also committed to transparency, promising to publish performance metrics by region and district. “We will be open about what we’re doing and how we are achieving these goals,” he assured.
