The Canterbury District Health Board, like most other district health boards, came into effect on 1 January 2001. In July 2005, The New Zealand Herald reported that the Canterbury District Health Board and Telecom NZ had signed a three-year telecommunications deal. The deal gave Telecom NZ the responsibility for providing all health board telecommunications. There was also a two-year right of renewal clause.
Geographic area
The area covered by the Canterbury District Health Board is defined in Schedule 1 of the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000 and based on territorial authority and ward boundaries as constituted as at 1 January 2001. The area can be adjusted through an Order in Council.
Governance
The CDHB, like other district health boards, is governed by a group that is partially elected and partially appointed. Since the 2001 New Zealand local elections, the elected part of the board has been determined as part of the triennial local elections using the single transferable vote system. There are currently eleven board members, seven of whom are elected. The following were elected in the 2019 local elections:
At most district health boards, the previous Hospital and Health Service board chair was appointed as the inaugural chair, but not so at the Canterbury District Health Board. The acting chairperson of the HHS board, Humphry Rolleston, retired and Syd Bradley was appointed as the inaugural CDHB chairperson by Health Minister Annette King for a 1 January 2001 start. Bradley was succeeded in November 2007 by Alister James, who was appointed chairperson by Health Minister David Cunliffe. After serving as a Christchurch City Councillor until 2004, James successfully stood for the CDHB in October 2004 instead. In the 2007 local elections, he was defeated but Cunliffe made him the government-appointed chair. Health Minister Tony Ryall appointed Bruce Matheson in November 2010 to replace James. Murray Cleverley was appointed chairperson in 2013 by Health Minister Tony Ryall, held concurrently with the chairpersonship for the South Canterbury District Health Board. In February 2017, Cleverley resigned from the district health board positions over alleged fraudulent activity carried out by staff reporting to him at the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority. Sir Mark Solomon, who had been appointed by Health Minister Jonathan Coleman in November 2016 as deputy chair, took over as acting chair from Cleverly. In August 2017, former diplomat and current university chancellorJohn Wood was appointed by Coleman as the new chair, with Solomon returning to the role of deputy chair. In December 2019, retired judge Sir John Hansen was appointed by Health Minister David Clark to succeed Wood.
Demographics
Canterbury DHB served a population of 539,631 at the time of the 2018 New Zealand census, an increase of 56,853 people since the 2013 census, and an increase of 72,615 people since the 2006 census. There were 200,694 households. There were 269,550 males and 270,081 females, giving a sex ratio of 1.0 males per female. Of the total population, 98,541 people were aged up to 15 years, 111,957 were 15 to 29, 246,159 were 30 to 64, and 82,968 were 65 or older. Figures may not add up to the total due to rounding. Ethnicities were 81.6% European/Pākehā, 9.5% Māori, 3.3% Pacific peoples, 11.8% Asian, and 2.7% other ethnicities. People may identify with more than one ethnicity. The percentage of people born overseas was 24.1, compared with 27.1% nationally. Although some people objected to giving their religion, 51.3% had no religion, 36.7% were Christian, and 5.6% had other religions. Of those at least 15 years old, 98,127 people had a bachelor or higher degree, and 75,732 people had no formal qualifications. The median income was $34,200. The employment status of those at least 15 was that 226,362 people were employed full-time, 68,367 were part-time, and 14,703 were unemployed.
Performance
It has been regarded as a successful accountable care system which has moderated the rate of growth in hospital use by investing in services in the community. GPs and consultants agreed health pathways for the diagnosis and treatment of patients with common medical conditions thereby breaking down barriers between clinicians.
Controversy
In 2001, after multiple union contracts fell through, more than 1100 staff members of the Princess Margaret Hospital went on strike to protest the uncertainty regarding their jobs at the hospital. However, the scope of the full strike was roughly 3000 people from hospitals throughout the region. In September 2005, the health board was accused of "virtually sweat shop conditions" by the National Union of Public Employees. The board denied all accusations against them. Following the accusations, roughly 500 personnel from the district started a five day strike for a 30% pay rise. In December 2016, approximately 3974 appointments were postponed due to a payment dispute with the Regional District Health Boards, including Canterbury, and members of the Association of Salaried Medical Specialists. It was estimated that the resident medical officers had forfeited roughly $1.1 million in lost wages.
