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Ian Powell
Otaihanga Second Opinion is a regular health systems blog in New Zealand.
Ian Powell is the editor of the health systems blog 'Otaihanga Second Opinion.' He is also a columnist for New Zealand Doctor, occasional columnist for the Sunday Star Times, and contributor to the Victoria University hosted Democracy Project. For over 30 years , until December 2019, he was the Executive Director of Association of Salaried Medical Specialists, the union representing senior doctors and dentists in New Zealand.
Ian Powell - Latest News [Page 1]
Reti’s Velvet Glove Wore Too Thin For PM’s Iron Fist
Friday, 31 January 2025, 2:11 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the sacking of Shane Reti as health minister and the appointment of Simeon Brown as his replacement. More >>
Reckless Disregard Or Cruelty (Or Even Trumpian!)
Thursday, 30 January 2025, 6:26 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the sudden decision to remove the evidence based equitable age for Maori and Pacific eligibility for the national bowel screening programme. More >>
Gutting Specialised Health Teams Follows ‘slash And Burn’ Strategy
Wednesday, 22 January 2025, 3:23 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses Health New Zealand’s plan to disestablish expert national health teams as part of its Commissioner’s ‘slash and burn’ strategy. More >>
When Politics Gets In The Pocket Of The Gun Lobby
Wednesday, 15 January 2025, 4:19 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses when a government gets in the pocket of the gun lobby. More >>
Welcome Puberty Blockers Report But Beware Derailing Transphobia
Tuesday, 7 January 2025, 5:16 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the Health Ministry’s position statement on puberty blocker prescribing in the context of an NZ Medical Journal article, guidelines based on the Hippocratic Oath and the risk of transphobic derailment. More >>
Imperialism, Chagos Islanders And The Fight To Return
Sunday, 5 January 2025, 1:58 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the long determined fight of evicted Chagos Islanders to return home in the context of imperialism. More >>
Haka, Hikoi And The Empowerment Of The Kohanga Generation
Wednesday, 18 December 2024, 6:26 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the recent massive unprecedented hikoi in New Zealand in its wider context including the relationship between struggle, consciousness and empowerment. More >>
Commissioner’s Approach To Healthcare Provision: ‘Slash And Burn’
Sunday, 15 December 2024, 5:06 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses Health New Zealand’s ‘slash and burn’ approach under its new Commissioner Lester Levy with particular reference to IT infrastructure. More >>
David Farrar’s Incomplete Health Workforce Analysis
Wednesday, 11 December 2024, 6:34 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses why increasing numbers of resident (junior) doctors in New Zealand are leaving the country, primarily to Australia, in response to an incomplete simplistic claim by rightwing political commentator David Farrar. More >>
Changing Face Of Capitalism: Private Equity Threat To New Zealand Economy
Sunday, 8 December 2024, 7:01 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the potential threat of private equity companies to the New Zealand economy in light of the SolarZero liquidation and the US experience. More >>
Public Hospital Specialists Increase: Delusional Spit In The Ocean With Sinister Undertone
Thursday, 5 December 2024, 6:13 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the recent announcement of an increase of 50 senior hospital doctor position in New Zealand’s pubic health system; both the strong scepticism and a sinister undertone. More >>
General Practice Visits, Emergency Department Presentations, And Social Determinants Of Health
Tuesday, 26 November 2024, 2:38 pm | Ian Powell
In this article, Ian Powell examines the relationship between declining general practice visits, emergency department presentations, and social determinants of health, as highlighted by the latest New Zealand health survey. More >>
New Zealand’s Shameful Modern Slavery Shutdown
Wednesday, 20 November 2024, 6:26 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the government’s shameful response to modern slavery in New Zealand. More >>
Physician Associates: A ‘Solution’ Desperately Searching For A Problem
Sunday, 17 November 2024, 10:17 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the controversy over the attempt by US physician associates in New Zealand to be registered under the Health Competence Assurance Act. More >>
From Thriving To Surviving: ‘Poster Child’ General Practice Struggle Symbolises Primary Care Crisis
Thursday, 7 November 2024, 7:42 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses a crisis at a ‘poster child’ general practice in New Zealand as part of a wider primary care crisis. More >>
Fast-Tracking Wealth Accumulation And The War On Nature
Wednesday, 6 November 2024, 7:42 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the Fast-Track Approvals Bill currently before the New Zealand Parliament. It discusses the core driver behind this intent to disregard environmental protections in economic development and infrastructure. More >>
‘If You Don’t Have Hope, You Can’t Have A Strategy’
Saturday, 2 November 2024, 5:38 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses how our health system got into the mess it presently finds itself in and how it might get out of it. More >>
Non-disclosure Agreements In Health Systems – An Oxymoron!
Saturday, 12 October 2024, 7:33 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses Health New Zealand’s use of non-disclosure agreements in the context of oxymorons and health system culture. More >>
Why Socialism (Why Not New Zealand)
Thursday, 10 October 2024, 6:41 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses an Albert Einstein 1949 article on socialism and its relevance to New Zealand. More >>
Effectiveology
Saturday, 5 October 2024, 9:22 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses a new word for improving health systems. More >>
