Candidate for

Southern District Health Board

I am pleased to announce my candidacy for the Southern DHB. I am standing in the Southland constituency.

Having worked as a doctor for the last 30 years, in different roles in both Southland and Canterbury, I see myself as a voice for the people. 

A voice for people needing health services and a voice for the people delivering it.  

I see the impact of health inequities on a daily basis, as many people struggle to access medical care for themselves and their loved ones.

Over the years, I have been a witness to many of the changes in our local and national health system and how funding impacts on access to services, and services that people may have been denied. Some of this plays out in the media, some of it doesn’t.  

People in Southland may at times feel they live in the shadows of Dunedin, so we need to make sure that all services in Southland and around Queenstown are adequate.  

Healthcare happens in many places, not just within the bricks and mortar of a hospital or a clinic, but Southland and Lakes District hospitals must remain viable.  

Every day the people who are working in health are doing their best and giving their all for patients. We need to connect with those who provide care, listen and be open to new ways of working, so we develop a system in Southern that reflects, reinvents itself and responds, based on what communities need.

I have been around long enough to appreciate that health is a tough gig. Policies are set by the government of the day, funding gaps emerge, no DHB is the same, and the reality is there are limits to what can be provided.  

I view this election as an opportunity for a fresh start and I consider my extensive experience in the health system as a strength to provide a well-informed, balanced, and pragmatic approach.

• Authorised by Roland Meyer, Alpine Retreat Queenstown.