Junior doctors say a lack of governance and a focus on pet projects played a role in the overspending at Waikato District Health Board.
Waikato Hospital Photo: Waikato DHB / Facebook
Details released by the health board yesterday show former chief executive Nigel Murray spent $218,000 dollars in expenses in the three years he was employed by the board.
Dr Murray has repaid $30,000 worth and has up to a further $50,000 to reimburse to the Waikato board.
The national secretary of the Resident Doctors' Association, Deborah Powell, said it was shocking but board chair Bob Simcock had failed to listen to advice.
"In an environment where, you know, people were sounding warnings he went ahead and appointed Nigel in any event.
"And then we seem to have suffered an utter lack of governance over what Nigel was getting up to."
Dr Powell said information released yesterday by the Waikato board shows a focus by Dr Murray both on IT, including the HealthTap app, and plans for the country's third medical school.
"The pursuit of what I would call pet projects - at a time where the district health board was in real financial difficulty, we don't have enough staff to run the services, where the increasing patient demand is just massive - it really stands out."