Health Ministry staff await word on their future

Letter to be released tomorrow along with structure proposal

All Ministry of Health employees, both permanent and fixed-term, will receive a personal letter tomorrow clarifying their roles and any impact on them over changes in health structures initiated by the government last year.

Director-general Stephen McKernan informed staff last week that on March 17 he would be releasing a discussion document outlining a proposal for consultation on a ministry structure to support the new model of planning and funding, and delivering the Government’s broader health objectives.

Deputy director-general Margie Apa says the document will outline a proposal to address the following key issues:

· supporting the establishment of the National Health Board

· being clearer about accountabilities across the ministry and reducing replication of functions

· taking another look at the way ministry staff approach their work as a ministry

· managing the ministry’s full-time equivalent employees pathway to 1390 by June 30.

The personal letters will accompany the discussion document.