CDHB IT was well organised central government politicians, you seem to have forgotten it:

A recent NZ Herald article on 14th August titled: Doctor accuses Te Whata Ora of Conspiracy to avoid public scrutiny of unsafe radiology practices” got blood boiling in Christchurch.  

On further reading it highlighted some poor IT systems and culture at the Hawkes Bay Hospital. What really bothered was the implication that all previous DHB’s were in the same situation. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Canterbury DHB had created and enabled a joined-up health information response. That enabled radiology reports to be seamlessly viewed between private and public hospitals and general practice. Indeed, there were in-built audit systems to ensure that there were no privacy breaches. 

In addition, health information was shared across all health providers, making sure that whatever clinician was caring for you had access to a summary of your health record. I well remember sitting amazed as my GP informed me about the tests which had been undertaken at the CDHB.  

My GP informed me that this was unique in NZ. When I checked recently, I found it had been in place in Canterbury for the last 12 years and across the whole South Island over the past 6 years. 

None of this seems to have been able to get across the Cook Strait!! 

NZ has had robust IT / Information solutions working in parts of the country for over a decade and yet we get the ongoing BS coming from Te Whata Ora. This organisation can’t even report how much care has been provided to a patient. Canterbury DHB could and did provide it almost immediately on request over the last 12 years because they had put in place good systems. Just think about your visits to your health providers. 

Once again, I ask how did a DHB like Canterbury solve so many of these issues, and yet got targeted by central govt agencies? Was it because they showed the others up and had data to back up their arguments, and the MOH didn’t? 

This country has so many of the solutions available for the problems it faces. And yet it lacks the leadership capability and competency to implement. No, let’s be honest. If a solution has not been developed by somebody within an “acceptable organisation” it is belittled by central planners.  Let’s wait for the current leaders to say, “we must look overseas for the answer” or “let’s bring in the experts (consultants) to deliver a wonderful solution”. 

The solutions already exist!! And who do we hold accountable?