What are “DHB efficiencies” at Capital and Coast?

The short answer is we don’t know, and we aren’t allowed to know.

Last week in David Choat’s blog on his second DHB meeting he explained that an item of the meeting designated to discuss “DHB effeciencies” was placed on the public excluded part of the meeting.

We don’t even know why precisely. But there is the speculation that this is about budget cuts affecting the level of care within Wellington City.

The fact that ‘Care not Cuts’ Board member David Choat is so upset by its exlcusion seems to suggest that this is the case, however, we cannot be certain without the public seeing for themselves if this is so.

The speculation about this matter does not help the public. If “DHB effeciencies” is definitely about cutting services, then the board have decided to make decisions of public importance in a smoke filled room. If it is defefinity not, then it is guilty of creating the appearance that the board (sans Choat) refuses to talk with the public, which is just as reckless.

Choat is trying to get the information presented to the board to be made public. If he succeeds, then we can all stop speculating, and perhaps start to have a public debate.