Steering Group Established To Review Health Agencies

A steering group has been set up
to report on the roles and relationships of agencies in the health sector,
Health Minister Bill English and Associate Health Minister Neil Kirton announced
today.

The group would report back to the Ministers by May, they said.

"A review of the ways agencies in the health sector worked together was
announced in the Coalition Agreement. This will include looking at the most
appropriate structure for the single funding agency which will replace the four
regional health authorities.

"The Steering Group's members are drawn
from a wide range of backgrounds within the sector," said the Ministers.

The Group will be chaired by the Director-General of Health, Karen
Poutasi and will be directly responsible to the Ministers. It is being appointed
as a Ministerial Committee under Section 46 of the Health and Disability
Services Act 1993.

Mr English said an announcement would be made next
week about the transition arrangements governing the regional health authorities
move to a single funding agency.