Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
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]
A Timely Call For A Social Contract In Health
Sunday, 11 May 2025, 6:45 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the relevance of a timely editorial in the New Zealand Medical Journal advocating the reconstruction of a healthcare social contract. More >>
Widening Gap Between Health System Leadership And Health Workforce
Saturday, 3 May 2025, 6:56 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the accelerated widening of the gap between central government and health professionals in New Zealand’s public health system. More >>
The Dirtiest Of Politics And A Tale Of Two MPs Cloaked In Hypocrisy
Wednesday, 30 April 2025, 6:33 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the contrasting responses to two politically different MPs involved in ‘controversies’ in the context of dirty politics and transphobia. More >>
It Does Matter To Patients Whether They Are Operated In A Public Or Private Hospital
Tuesday, 15 April 2025, 12:04 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell responds to the claim of New Zealand health minister Simeon Brown that it doesn’t matter to patients whether their funded operation is in a public or private hospital. More >>
Revisiting Universalism
Wednesday, 2 April 2025, 7:35 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the role of universalism in the provision of public services and benefits in New Zealand in the context of a challenging published critique. More >>
Trumpian Health Leadership
Monday, 31 March 2025, 10:54 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the implications of the decision of Health New Zealand to restrict the relative independence of medical officers of health and the wider ramifications for health professionals. More >>
A Devastating Critique; But There’s Always A But!
Saturday, 22 March 2025, 3:00 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses an economist’s critique of Health Minister Simeon Brown’s recent major health announcement. More >>
When Apartheid Met Zionism
Saturday, 15 March 2025, 6:42 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses, in a New Zealand context, what happens when apartheid meets Zionism. More >>
Brown’s Surgery Puts Health System At Increased Risk
Friday, 14 March 2025, 8:39 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell delves upon Health Minister’s major announcement last week with a particular emphasis on the risks and realities of outsourcing non-acute surgery. More >>
Getting Out Of The Current Health System Mess
Saturday, 8 March 2025, 4:45 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses how New Zealand’s health system got into its current mess and how to get out of it. More >>
Private Versus Public Health Systems
Sunday, 2 March 2025, 6:28 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the changing nature of the relationship between public and private (hospitals and insurance) and how the latter has become an increasing threat to the former. More >>
When Overlaying Fact In Health Systems With Fiction Morphs Into Embellishment
Monday, 17 February 2025, 1:43 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses what happens when facts get overtaken by fiction to become embellishment in the context of the current direction of New Zealand’s health system. More >>
Is Health New Zealand Becoming An Audit Office Frequent Flyer?
Thursday, 13 February 2025, 12:02 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses whether Health New Zealand is becoming a frequent flyer for the Auditor-General and why that might not be such a bad thing given the circumstances. More >>
More UK Lessons For Labour Party In New Zealand
Thursday, 6 February 2025, 3:23 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses The Lessons Of A Recent Dramatic UK Political Poll For The Labour Party In New Zealand More >>
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 >>
