21 Jul 2010

Health board cuts deficit by third

4:07 pm on 21 July 2010

Hawke's Bay District Health Board has reduced its financial deficit by 32%.

In February 2008, former Labour health minister David Cunliffe dismissed board members because of what he called a dysfunctional relationship with management and a deteriorating financial performance.

He replaced the board with three commissioners, but nine months later the National-led Government agreed to reinstate board members to work alongside the commissioners.

In the year ending June 2008, the health board had a deficit of $6.7 million.

Last year that was reduced by almost $1 million.

Chief executive Kevin Snee says there has been a further drop in the year ending June, to less than $4 million.