Accompanied by manager Joy Farley and administrative support staff member Chris Picard, he spent the day meeting Southern District Health Board management and clinicians, and University of Otago health sciences pro vice-chancellor Prof Don Roberton.
He also inspected the board's neurosurgical service, which is being staffed by locum neurosurgeons.
Prof Kaye said he had been hearing everyone's views.
The university involvement was pivotal, but the appointment of a professor of neurosurgery, who will also be one of the service's three Dunedin-based clinicians, could take up to two years.
Prof Kaye declined to answer questions about the status of the two neurosurgeons to whom the health board has offered places.
One of them is expected to arrive next March.
The governance board is expected to have its first meeting in January, but the location for that has not been announced, nor have all board appointments, including an independent neurosurgeon and the expert consumer adviser.
Prof Kaye said someone who was "absolutely outstanding" had been approached about the consumer role.
Southern District Health Board chief medical officer (Otago) Richard Bunton said Prof Kaye had met a large number of staff on his visit.
One of the most discussed topics was the issue of strategic staffing of the unit long term.
Prof Roberton said his discussions with Prof Kaye had centred on establishing the priorities for the first meeting of the board.
One of the early issues would be how to proceed with recruitment.
Two of the three Dunedin neurosurgeons planned for the service are to have university roles.
Another significant item would be the options for financial models for the service and choosing the one which was most appropriate, something which Prof Roberton described as "quite a complex exercise".
Prof Kaye will meet Canterbury District Health Board representatives today.
