Waikato DHB Board member suspended

Waikato DHB board member Dr Suresh Vatsyayann has been suspended from the board for questioning the integrity of his fellow board members and DHB management.

Chairman Graeme Milne said today he asked Dr Vatsyayann to withdraw the comments and apologise to the board and management.

Dr Vatsyayann failed to respond to the request and has been suspended until an appropriate apology is received.

"The DHB is a billion dollar organisation with than 5800 staff and it is responsible for the health and wellbeing of more than 360,000 people.

"Those people, the DHB staff, management and board members deserve to have board members with the highest professional and ethical standards.

"Dr Vatsyayann's behaviour was well below those standards."

Dr Vatsyayann is an elected member of the Waikato DHB board.

Date: 17 December 2009

ENDS

Contact:
Mary Anne Gill
Director
Media and Communications
Waikato District Health Board