The board that will lead neurosurgical services in the South Island was meeting for the first time on Tuesday.
The Health Ministry ended heated debate last year by deciding that South Island neurosurgical services would be delivered from two centres rather than just one in future.
The decision to centre the services on Dunedin and Christchurch rather than Christchurch alone overturned earlier recommendations that favoured the latter option.
Canterbury Distric Health Board is represented on the new independent governance board for the service, along with other South Island DHBs, Otago University, and a consumer and iwi representative.
A Ministry spokesperson said the job of the board at its first meeting was to decide the process for appointments, notably that of the independent clinical director of neurosurgery, and other staff.
The board is headed by Melbourne neurosurgeon Professor Andrew Kaye.
