District health boards consist of seven members who are elected by the community, and up to four members who are appointed by the Minister of Health.

The board is responsible for overall goverance of the Whanganui District Health Board and is accountable to the Minister of Health. Board members work together in a financially responsible manner and in the best interests of the health of the district's whole population to achieve the district health board's objectives.

Board members do not manage the Whanganui District Health Board. That is the responsibility of the chief executive, who is appointed by the board, and the staff who report to the chief executive.

More information about district health boards can be viewed on the Ministry of Health website.

Click here for the 2010 Whanganui District Health Board election polling results
The 2007 polling results can also be found by following the link above.

Whanganui District Health Board members

 Kate Joblin - Board chair    /    Elected    /    Third term
"I was elected to the board in 2010 after being an appointed board member since April 2005 and Board chair since May 2007.  I am a chartered accountant in public practice and have lived in Whanganui since a child. As a mother to six children, all of whom were born at Wanganui hospital, I am well aware of the importance of good access to safe health care for communities within the wider Whanganui District. I am also a Board member and deputy Board chair of Midcentral District Health Board."
                                 Source: Profile supplied by Kate Joblin


Phil Sunderland - Deputy board chair    /    Appointed    /    Second term
"I was appointed a member of the Board in 2009.  At the same time I became a Board member at MidCentral. Last year I was appointed chair of the MidCentral Board and deputy chair of Wanganui District Health Board.
My background is in law. I am a solicitor practising in Palmerston North as a senior partner in a local law firm. I have always had an interest in health having previously served on the Palmerston North Hospital Board, as chairperson of the Cancer Society and Chairperson of the Manawatu Medical Ethics Committee."
Source: Profile supplied by Phil Sunderland


Philippa Baker-Hogan    /    Elected    /    Third term
"I was elected on the Whanganui District Health Board in 2004 and have also been a councillor for the Whanganui District Council since 2006. I have over 20 years experience in the health system. I am a former Medical Radiation Technologist and am currently managing a primary health practice."
Source: Profile supplied by Philippa Baker-Hogan



David Warburton    /    Appointed    /    Second term
"My formal education is in Agricultural Science and Environmental Engineering. I am currently employed as chief executive of Auckland Transport."
Source: Profile supplied by David Warburton





Allan Anderson  Q.S.M., JP.     /    Elected    /    Second term
"Now in my second term as an elected member of our Board, a role which is both privileged and challenging, I am very proud of our Hospital and staff, regarding them as amongst the finest in New Zealand. With children and grandchildren I am acutely aware of family health needs as well as having made good use of our medical services myself over the years. I also serve on the Hospital Advisory Committee, chair the Executive Remuneration Committee and am in my second term as an elected Wanganui District Councillor."
Source: Profile supplied by Allan Anderson


Michael Laws    /    Elected    /    Second term
"The greatest threat to Wanganui's economic and social future is the disestablishment or downgrading of our health services. For the past three years, as your elected DHB board member, I have been instrumental in resisting efforts to cut Wanganui's health budget. That will continue to be my major focus over the next three years - to retain those services that are already here. We must also improve communications between the board and the community. My first loyalty is to the region, but there is pressure to accept the primacy of Wellington interests. I have been a skilled and effective lobbyist for Wanganui and those skills will be very important over the next three years, as central government promotes further funding cuts. I also want to see better efforts in aged and elderly care, and stabilising maternity services. I seek your support in not simply maintaining, but improving our health service."
Source: Election 2010 Information Booklet


Judith MacDonald    /    Elected    /    First term
"I have spent my entire 30 year health career serving the Whanganui district. 
I have worked in senior leadership roles as a registered nurse and manager at Wanganui Hospital, rural health centres and in primary care, with my current role as Whanganui Regional Primary Health Organisation CEO helping to support primary health services within the city and rural communities."
Source: Profile supplied by Judith MacDonald



Richard Orzecki    /    Appointed    /    First term
“I am an appointed member of the Whanganui and MidCentral District Health Boards.
I bring strong governance experience and working relationships with whanau/hapu
and Iwi members in our Maori Communities. I have a passion to make a difference to
our Maori, Pasifika and at risk members of our districts.”
Source: Profile supplied by Richard Orzecki

Clive Solomon    /    Elected    /    Second term
"Six years ago, I put a banner in the sky: SURGEON 4 HEALTH, and was elected to serve on the Whanganui DHB. That has been a fight against incompetence, corruption, political double-speak and evil that I never imagined existed in our beautiful land. We’ve won most of those battles and now have parts of a new hospital, an independent Board, child health and obstetrics still in our city and 24/7 acute care. Our work is not done. We need committed, smart, passionate, dedicated, fearless and outspoken leaders to trumpet the truth, beat the drums and sing out loud the songs of our future as a city. Those have been the hallmarks of my last six years. Give me your vote and I will loudly and clearly state our case for our people - on the DHB and for our river city on the District Council. Your vote is my voice!"
Source: Election 2010 Information Booklet


Ray Stevens    /    Elected    /    First term
"I am offering myself for the District Health Board because I want the average man and woman to have a strong say in the running of our health system. Health issues WILL affect us all and sometimes I believe that we have forgotten this in the fancy and complicated talk. I want to bring some good, practical common sense to the Board. The need to have a hospital that can service the community needs without having to travel to get treatment is paramount. The primary focus is to maintain our frontline staff of nurses and doctors to provide the care required. Everything else must take second place to the service provided. The message is very clear the ingredients are patients and nurses/doctors = hospital. So surely it cannot be hard to match a budget to provide that standard of service and in Wanganui."
Source: Election 2010 Information Booklet

     
Nancy Tuaine    /    Appointed    /    Second term
"I have been an appointed member of the Whanganui District Health Board since 2007 and am a member of the Whanau Ora Governance Group.
I am also a representative for Whanganui iwi on Hauora a Iwi and manager of the Whanganui River Trust Board."
Source: Profile supplied by Nancy Tuaine