Dear Health New Zealand,

I am requesting information under the Official Information Act 1982 regarding the selection process for the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Health New Zealand. I seek details on how this appointment was made to ensure the role was filled by a candidate with the necessary technical expertise, strategic leadership capabilities, and understanding of healthcare digital transformation.

1. Position Description and Selection Criteria
1.1. Please provide a copy of the position description and selection criteria used for the CTO appointment.
1.2. I would like details on how the selection criteria were established, including:
1.2.1. The required technical expertise, including healthcare IT, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, and data governance.
1.2.2. Any specific qualifications or experience that were preferred, such as a background in clinical informatics, enterprise IT leadership, or government digital strategy.
1.2.3. Considerations given to knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles, Māori data sovereignty, and equity in digital health.
1.3. If the selection criteria have evolved compared to previous CTO appointments, I request any documentation explaining these changes and their justification.

2. Recruitment and Selection Process
2.1. I request any documents outlining the recruitment and selection process, including:
2.1.1. The steps involved in advertising, shortlisting, and assessing candidates.
2.1.2. The interview process and key areas of assessment.
2.1.3. The weighting of technical versus leadership experience in final decision-making.
2.2. Please confirm whether an external recruitment agency was used. If so, I request:
2.2.1. The name of the agency.
2.2.2. The scope of their role in the selection process.
2.3. If any public or stakeholder input was sought regarding the qualities needed for the CTO position, I request:
2.3.1. A summary of feedback received.
2.3.2. A list of organisations or groups consulted (excluding individual names).

3. Selection Panel and Decision-Making
3.1. I request details on the composition of the selection panel, including:
3.1.1. The roles or departments represented within Health New Zealand.
3.1.2. Any external advisors involved, such as IT governance experts, healthcare professionals, or government representatives.
3.1.3. The presence of Māori, Pacific, or rural health representatives to ensure digital equity considerations.
3.2. If policies exist to ensure diversity and representation on the selection panel, I request a copy of those guidelines.
3.3. I also request any documents outlining processes to mitigate bias in the selection process, including:
3.3.1. Guidelines on fair candidate evaluation.
3.3.2. Any training provided to panel members on unconscious bias or equitable hiring.

4. Transparency and Appointment Process
4.1. Please provide information on how the final decision was made and communicated, including:
4.1.1. Whether an independent review of the selection process was conducted.
4.1.2. Any policies or procedures in place to ensure transparency in decision-making.
4.2. If any documents explaining the appointment process have been made publicly available, I request a reference to where I can access them.
4.3. If this appointment was made as part of an internal promotion, I request:
4.3.1. The process followed to determine internal eligibility.
4.3.2. Any documents outlining why an internal appointment was preferred over external recruitment.

5. Scope Management and Prioritisation
5.1 If this request is too broad, I am happy for Health Alliance NZ and Te Whatu Ora to prioritise responding to the most critical sections first, particularly those covering:
5.1.1 (4.1.1; 3.3.1; 2.1.3; 1.2.1; 1.1; 1.2.2; 1.2.3; 3.1.1; 3.1.3; 3.2; 4.1.2; 2.1.1; 2.1.2; 3.1.2; 3.3.2; 2.2.1; 2.2.2; 2.3.1; 2.3.2; 1.3; 4.2; 4.3.1; 4.3.2)
5.2 Please prioritise completing as much of this request as possible in order as per 5.1.1. If some aspects cannot be fulfilled within this request, kindly provide an explanation. I may submit a independent request for the remaining information as needed.

Yours faithfully,

Richard Shelton