Cardiac Joint Venture Partner

Health Minister Bill English said today he has asked for a full report from HealthCare Otago on its scrutiny of its joint venture partner Southern Cardiothoracic Institute.

"The responsibility for thoroughly checking the credentials of this joint venture partner is squarely with HealthCare Otago," Mr English said.

"I have asked HealthCare Otago chairperson Glen Dillon to provide this report by Friday.

"To date, I have heard allegations about people involved with SCI and I need answers from the people who should have checked all this out. We need to be absolutely clear that HealthCare Otago had completed a thorough scrutinising process before we consider this proposal against the criteria in the Coalition Agreement," Mr English said.