Tova O’Brien: Health Commissioner hits back at doctors’ claims patients’ lives at risk

Thursday, 8 August 2024

Tova O’Brien is Stuff’s Chief Political Correspondent and host of the political podcast, Tova. Listen to the latest episode, ‘Can he fix it? New health kingpin promises to resuscitate a system in crisis’, here.

From the cradle to the grave, the health service is one we all rely on throughout our lives.

But it’s on life support itself.

After losing confidence in the leadership - and financial acumen - of Health New Zealand-Te Whatu Ora, the Government has parachuted in an all-powerful one man band to fix the broken system.

Professor Lester Levy is the new Health Commissioner tasked with getting things ‘back on track’.

Long waiting lists, budget woes, staff shortages, protests, doctorless hospitals, ramping ambulances and police pulling out of some mental health call outs - he’s certainly got his work cut out.

But on the Tova podcast this week, Levy says he’s up to the task and makes some big, bold promises to get there.

He also hits back at claims from the health frontline that staff shortages and the hiring freeze are putting patients’ lives at risk.

Listen to the latest episode of Tova by hitting the purple play button above.