The Waitaki District Council this week appointed a new three-person team to replace the former board of Waitaki District Health Services Ltd (WDHSL) and the trustees of the Waitaki District Health Services Trust.
WDHSL owned and operated Oamaru Hospital and other community health services until it was transferred to Te Whatu Ora Health New Zealand (HNZ) on July 1.
The transfer left WDHSL solely as the owner and property manager for the buildings.
The Waitaki District Health Services Trust was originally set up to receive funds to invest in the hospital and healthcare needs in Waitaki — particularly to subsidise shortfalls from the public system.
On Tuesday, the governance structure of both entities was replaced by a three-person team during an in-committee section of the main council meeting.
The new committee consists of independent chairman Simon Neale, Waitaki District Mayor Gary Kircher, and Waitaki District Council chief executive Alex Parmley.
Mr Kircher thanked departing board members Keith Marshall, Kathleen Grant, Trevor McGlinchey and Scott Wilson for their dedication.
"We cannot thank the departing board members and trustees enough.
"I’d like to extend the community’s gratitude to them, to all of their predecessors and to the amazing staff who worked so hard to ensure that Waitaki had the hospital it needed."
Mr Marshall said returning the hospital to the public system this year with 100% staff support showed it was "the right choice, at the right time".
There will be no remuneration for the new appointees.
