Margie Apa Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
Health New Zealand's embattled chief executive Fepulea'i Margie Apa has resigned - four months ahead of her contract coming to an end - in a "mutual agreement" with the health commissioner.
In a statement released by the agency just before 9am, she said it was "time to hand the baton on".
She said Health NZ was at the point in its reset where a different leadership approach was required.
"Although my term formally ends in June, Health New Zealand is at a point in the reset where a different leadership approach is required to take us forward, and I would like to make space for that now," Apa said.
Apa took on the role in February 2022 as interim chief executive and then, from 1 July 2022, for a fixed term to oversee the shift from multiple district health boards to one organisation.
"I believe that working together collaboratively to join up and improve the care New Zealanders experience is an ambition worth working for. All of us can make so much more of a difference if we can work together better.
Simeon Brown. Photo: RNZ/Marika Khabazi
"I am pleased to have played a part in that shift. There is progress we have made - we are delivering more care than before to more people both in our hospitals and in our community and primary care sector.
Health New Zealand Commissioner Lester Levy said they "mutually agreed on the decision" and thanked her for her service.
"Margie has an extraordinary work ethic, and from the day of my appointment she has worked extremely hard to support the new work programme.
"The reset is a significant change in direction from where Health NZ was heading, but she realigned entirely to the programme.
"On behalf of the three deputy commissioners, we are very grateful for the support she has provided to us, and we wish her very well for the future."
National director of the Planning, Funding and Outcomes business unit Dr Dale Bramley will be the interim chief executive, starting in the role on Friday.
Health Minister Simeon Brown - in the job less than a month - thanked Apa for her service.
"Margie Apa was the first to hold the position of chief executive at Health New Zealand, taking on the challenge of transitioning New Zealand's health system from regional district health boards into a single entity following the previous government's reforms in the middle of a pandemic.
"Prior to this, Margie was chief executive of the Counties Manukau District Health Board, having built a career in public service.
"As chief executive at Health New Zealand, Margie remained committed to ensuring access to healthcare services while Health New Zealand grappled with significant operational and financial challenges stemming from the health system reforms."
Brown said he looked forward to working with acting chief executive Dale Bramley, while a formal recruitment process is underway to find Apa's replacement.
Deficits
Health NZ has axed thousands of jobs in the last six months with a massive restructuring as part of Government directed cost-cutting.
Reti sacked the board after revealing the agency was heading for a $1.7 billion deficit for the 2024/25 year. He appointed Levy as commissioner, charging him with the job of reducing what he labelled the "bloated bureaucracy".
Health NZ's long-confirmed financial statements, released in December showed a reduced forecast deficit of $1.1b. However, at the time, Apa indicated the reset was likely to continue until mid-2027, which was "a more realistic timeframe" for the agency to return to budget.
The biggest tranche of job cuts was announced in November, when Te Whatu Ora released proposals to slash nearly 1500 roles at the National Public Health Service, data and digital, Hauora Māori and Pacific health teams. Of these, about 700 were vacant.
Up to 200 more roles were set to go at the new Planning, Funding and Outcomes unit, which was led by Bramley, the new acting acting chief executive.
