DHB Appointments - Conflicts of Interest

District Health Board Appointments
Conflicts of Interest

Appointed members must provide the Minister with a conflict of interest statement prior to their appointment.1 A conflict of interest statement is a statement which discloses to the Minister the nature and extent (including monetary value, if quantifiable) of any conflicts of interest that the person has at that time, or that may arise in the future, in matters relating to the DHB.

Those shortlisted for appointment are asked to disclose current and future conflicts of interest on a declaration form (see Appendix A for a sample form). Potential appointees are also required to describe how they intend to manage identified conflicts, if appointed to the board.

The NZPHD Act contains specific legal requirements for the ongoing process of identifying and managing conflicts of interest.2 The process of managing conflicts is likely to prevent board members from taking part in any board decision-making related to matters affected by the conflict. Members who ‘sit out’ in this manner are also removed from the meeting’s quorum. If a majority of the other board members agree, the member with the conflict of interest may take part in the board’s discussion on the issue but would still be excluded from voting.

The legal requirements were enacted to protect the interests of the Crown, the public and board members, and to ensure transparency. They also ensure that boards have the necessary information to manage conflicts appropriately. All board members are required to keep their conflicts of interest under review and ensure that any changes are entered into the conflicts of interest register maintained by the board.

Footnotes:

See section 31 of the CE Act.
See clause 36 of Schedule 3 to the NZPHD Act.

Page last updated: June 2005.