Message from new Southern DHB Chair, Pete Hodgson

It is a pleasure to join the Board, and a particular privilege to follow in Dave Cull’s footsteps.  I look forward to managing a smooth transition with him, along with the acting chair Dr David Perez. 
The new Dunedin hospital is the catalyst for a lot of change throughout the region, some of which is already underway. We will be seeing more emphasis on the global move to generalist care in hospital, more emphasis on primary and community healthcare and more emphasis on valuing patient time. 

These changes need to be supported by what will become the best digital strategy in the New Zealand health system. 

None of this can detract from the urgency of addressing clinical safety issues even though the DHB can point to significant progress in recent times.

I hope I will be able to add value and to help focus progress. I’m looking forward to working with thousands of committed health workers in the Otago and Southland health sector.