Dominion Post (InfoTech Weekly) - 5 July 2010

Restaurant Brands and Unitec Auckland polytechnic chairman Ted van Arkel will chair the national agency providing back-office services and systems for New Zealand's 21 district health boards.

The Shared Services Organisation will be a Crown company ultimately reporting to the health and finance minister, Tony Ryall and Bill English, and will have up to 15 staff in its first year of operation.

Nigel Wilkinson, the organisation's transitional chief executive, says it will look to provide human resources, finance and procurement or supply chain information technology infrastructure and software.

Non-IT services to be provided by the organisation could include finance and accounting, human resource management and the procurement of clinical and non-clinical supplies and services.

The organisation is developing a statement of intent to define what services it will provide and how it will do that, he says.

Shared services could be delivered several ways.  "The right mix may include, for example, the use of joint venutres, DHB centres of excellence or outsourcing, depending on the most efficient way to deliver maximum savings."

The organisation will be small and highly focused, he says.

"It will provide strong executive leadership, bring specific expertise in shared services, drive specific change initiatives and engage with the sector."

The Government announced the agency in November as one of several initiatives expected to cost between $5 million and $10m but save $700m over five years.

Mr van Arkel is the former managing director of supermarket operator Progressive Enterprises and is also on the board of beverage company Charlies.

Other board members will be appointed in the near future. Mr Wilkinson says.