Health Waikato Ltd

Health Minister Annette King said today she was disturbed at some aspects of Health Waikato Ltd’s procedures in deciding to purchase and implement a new information technology system.

Mrs King said a review of the decision by Bell Gully suggested the Health Waikato board had failed in some aspects to meet best practice.

The minister said she was pleased that the review, into the decision by the board to purchase the Shared Medical Systems Corporation of USA (SMS) information management system, concluded the process had been generally robust.

But the review had also pointed up a number of deficiencies, and was critical of the speed with which the board had finally made its decision, she said.

Bell Gully also noted that some board minutes appeared to be incomplete, and that it was “most unfortunate” board chairman Jack Jenkins and another board member had attended a SMS health executive forum in Arizona, United States, in November 1998 without first obtaining board approval.

Mrs King said the Government was not prepared to tolerate crown agencies or institutions not following proper procedures or good practice in tendering and purchasing.

The bottom line was that accountability for spending taxpayer money must be paramount and transparent, she said.

"I will be instructing all government departments and agencies associated with health to ensure they carry out good practices when it comes to spending public money," she said.

"There have been too many examples under the previous Government of procedures not being properly complied with. We are determined to put a stop to this."

For further information, contact John Harvey 04 471 9305