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It was a hot October day when I arrived in Hāwera in late 2020. After meeting local independent GP Keith Blayney and iwi-owned practice Ngāti Ruanui Healthcare general manager Graham Young, my third and final stop for the day was the hospital on the other side of town
Eric Sinclair, general manager finance performance and facilities, told the board in a report that small unpaid debts were regularly written-off without requiring board approval. Minister of Health Andrew Little reveals a major reform of the health system which will abolish all of the DHBs nationwide. “Typically these debts are for overseas residents who have subsequently left the country without settling their debt.” Sinclair told Stuff that debts of this size were rare, with the last comparable one written off about six years ago. “In a situation like this, it could mean that sev...