Members of two medical workforce commissions announced

Director-General of Health Stephen McKernan today announced the members of two independent commissions - one will look at various issues facing the junior doctor workforce, and the other will investigate and make recommendations on a recruitment and retention strategy for the senior medical workforce.

Appointed to the Director-General of Health’s Commission on the Resident Medical Officer Workforce (the RMO Commission) were:

Don Hunn (chair) – former State Services Commissioner
Angela Foulkes – a member of the Remuneration Authority
Professor Peter Crampton – Dean and Head of Campus at the University of Otago, Wellington.
The members of the Director-General of Health’s Commission on Competitive and Sustainable Terms and Conditions of Employment for Senior Medical and Dental Officers Employed by DHBs (the SMO Commission) are:

Len Cook (chair) – former government statistician and current chair of the Medical Training Board
Dr Dwayne Crombie – former Chief Executive of Waitemata DHB and current CEO of Guardian Healthcare
Ross Wilson – chair of the Accident Compensation Corporation and former President of the New Zealand Council of Trade Unions
“I am delighted with the response from stakeholders in recommending candidates for membership of both commissions and would like to acknowledge the high calibre of those recommendations. The appointed members bring significant leadership, expertise and a wealth of experience that will benefit the important work of both commissions,” Mr McKernan said.

The RMO Commission will look specifically at issues facing the junior doctor workforce and make recommendations on the medical workforce needed to deliver services to meet New Zealanders’ changing health needs now and into the future.

"Junior doctors make a significant contribution to the health sector, and there is a need for comprehensive and appropriate training and support for this workforce to ensure a relevant and valuable learning experience."

The RMO Commission will make use of existing research into the nature and roles of New Zealand's medical workforce, including the findings of the Medical Training Board, and may also conduct its own research.

The SMO Commission, on the other hand, has been established to investigate and recommend a recruitment and retention strategy that will provide a sustainable pathway to competitive terms and conditions of employment for senior doctors.

"New Zealand is potentially vulnerable as a small, relatively geographically isolated country in terms of recruiting and retaining senior medical employees, both those trained here in New Zealand and international medical graduates," Mr McKernan said.

"Both commissions will be engaging with key stakeholders, including medical training bodies, specialist medical colleges, district health boards, members of the RMO and SMO workforces and their representatives and other professional organisations."