15 October 2024
Jeeves R Ponzi
[FYI request #28050 email] Tēnā koe Jeeves
Your request for official information, reference: HNZ00060797
Thank you for your email on 14 August 2024, asking Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora for the
following under the Official Information Act 1982 (the Act):
“On 13th of August 2024, the Health Commissioner Mr Lester Levy issued the following
statement:
…
Please provide, as a matter of urgency (due to the unprecedented speed of the current
'Health Reset'):
a) The information referred to which the staff member disclosed, and the Commissioner
referred to, in full.
b) all correspondence (including Text messages, TEAMS messages or meetings, Emails
and /or any other means) between (either received or sent) the Commissioner and/or his
Deputies (or their Officers), or Health NZ Chief Executive or her Office, in any direction,
which refer in any way to this disclosed information, for the period covering from Midnight
Monday 12th August, and Midnight Wednesday 14th August.”
Response In response to your request please see the attached
Appendix One. It contains a copy of the
presentation given at the GDOs and Clinical Leaders hui on 13 August 2024.
Soon after this presentation was given, Commissioner Lester Levy issued the following statement
to media.
“Yesterday, a staff member presented some information to a meeting around potential cost
savings in Hospital and Specialist Services.
For the avoidance of doubt, what was presented is in direct conflict with our thinking and should be
dismissed.
As Commissioner, I am absolutely committed to a strong clinical frontline to drive better health
outcomes for New Zealanders.
The clinical frontline is key to helping ensure faster and easier access to healthcare for people,
wherever they live.
The clinical frontline will not be cut or reduced, and our plans are to strengthen it.
We do of course have a serious financial problem and as part of our reset at Health NZ we need to
make sure we live within budget, but not at the expense of the clinical frontline.
These staff play a critical and valued role in lifting productivity to better respond to acute care
demand and deliver more planned care. We know that’s what New Zealanders expect and need us
to do.”
In addition, following the meeting two emails were sent to attendees on 13 and 14 August 2024,
advising that the information presented was a financial model that had not been approved or
decided as final.
All correspondence found to be within scope of your request, including the two emails mentioned
above have been included as part of
Appendix One. Noting that some information has been withheld under the following sections of the Act:
• Section 9(2)(a) – in order to protect the privacy of natural persons, including that of
deceased natural persons.
• Section 9(2)(g)(i) – to protect the effective conduct of public affairs through the free and
frank expression of opinions. Releasing the information would mean that the relevant staff
will not be willing to convey their unguarded opinions in future, which is a core part of their
role.
Where we have withheld information under section 9 of the Act, we have also considered any
countervailing public interests in the release of this information. Health NZ does not believe that
the public interests outweigh the need to withhold, in this instance.
How to get in touch
If you have any questions, you can contact us at
[email address]. If you are not happy with this response, you have the right to make a complaint to the
Ombudsman. Information about how to do this is available at
www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or
by phoning 0800 802 602.
As this information may be of interest to other members of the public, Health NZ may proactively
release a copy of this response on our website. All requester data, including your name and
contact details, will be removed prior to release.
Nāku iti noa, nā
Danielle Coe
Manager (OIA) Government Services
Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora
TeWhatuOra.govt.nz
Health NZ, PO Box 793,
Wellington 6140, New Zealand
