The Government has announced new appointments to four district health boards in a move to ensure greater collaboration amongst them.
The dual appointments concern neighbouring Capital and Coast and Hutt Valley DHBs in Wellington, and Whanganui and MidCentral DHBs in the central North Island.
Health Minister Tony Ryall says the Government won't force DHB mergers but needs closer collaboration and cross appointments will help achieve it.
From next week, a Hutt Valley DHB member, Keith Hindle, will take a seat on the Capital and Coast board vacated by Ken Douglas, a former Federation of Labour president.
Debbie Chin, a former deputy head of the Health Ministry, will join the Wellington board as a financial Crown Monitor.
Joint appointments to the Whanganui and MidCentral boards are David Warburton and Phil Sunderland, from January.
Further similar changes elsewhere in the country are expected before the next DHB elections on 9 October 2010.
