29 Jan 2009

DHB chairman refuses to resign

12:49 pm on 29 January 2009

The head of the Otago District Health Board has refused to resign after being asked to do so by the Minister of Health.

Chairman Richard Thompson says he now expects to be sacked.

Last week, Mr Thomson briefed Health Minister Tony Ryall about the background to a $17 million fraud perpetrated by a former senior manager Mike Swann and an accomplice.

Mr Thomson told Mr Ryall he would not resign because he was not responsible for the fraud, which began before he became chairman.

He says he's acted with honesty and integrity and was re-elected even though the public knew about the fraud before the last local elections.