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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 4]
Simeon Brown Places Target On Patients’ Heads
Monday, 18 August 2025, 11:18 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the implications and politics of the Government attempt to put its overhyped and simplistic health targets in New Zealand’s health system legislation. More >>
Heart Health Care System “Verge Of Collapse” A Barometer Of Wider Public Hospital Verging
Tuesday, 12 August 2025, 7:04 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the reported heart healthcare system “verging on collapse” as a barometer for the state of New Zealand public hospitals in general. More >>
The Forgotten Health Professionals
Saturday, 9 August 2025, 6:43 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the forgotten health professionals in the health system’s workforce – allied health professionals. More >>
A Poser For Labour Party: Tax Wealth Or Tax Capital Gains
Wednesday, 6 August 2025, 6:12 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the debate within the New Zealand Labour Party over whether to base its tax reform policy for next year’s election on taxing capital gains or wealth. More >>
Flawed And Predetermined: Postscript On Waikato Medical School Decision
Monday, 4 August 2025, 6:42 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses, and drills down into, the Government’s decision to approve the business case for a third medical school at Waikato University. More >>
Political cosyism behind 3rd medical school decision-making
Sunday, 27 July 2025, 6:28 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the political cosy relationships that shaped the decision-making over New Zealand’s third medical school. More >>
David Seymour And The Political Left
Tuesday, 22 July 2025, 7:34 pm | Ian Powell
If there was a ‘most prolific blogger while still being consistently thought-provoking’ award it would be hard to beat Bomber (Martyn) Bradbury and his The Daily Blog ( TDB ). His writing is turbo-charged and opinionated but underpinned by powerful compassion ... More >>
Who Benefits From Outsourcing Planned Surgery: Follow The Funding
Monday, 14 July 2025, 6:31 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses who benefits from the Government’s decision to outsource (privatise) cherry-picked planned surgery in New Zealand’s health system. More >>
‘Slash And Burn’ Increases Poor Health System Decision-Making: Witness Maternity And Gynaecology
Wednesday, 9 July 2025, 7:16 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses how ‘slash and burn’ impacts on health system decision-making in the context of a controversy over planned maternity bed cuts at Wellington Hospital. More >>
How To Justify 400,000 Palestinian Deaths In Gaza: Ask ‘Zelda’
Thursday, 3 July 2025, 7:00 am | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses why New Zealand needs to respond to genocide in Gaza in light of alarming data on the actual Palestinian death rate. More >>
Crony Capitalism
Tuesday, 24 June 2025, 7:04 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses crony capitalism and where it fits in and doesn’t in a New Zealand context. More >>
The Disgrace Of The Hospice Care Funding Scandal
Wednesday, 11 June 2025, 7:31 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the tipping point of the funding crisis facing hospice care in New Zealand. More >>
Postscript On Ethnic Cleansing, Genocide And New Zealand Recognition Of Palestine
Wednesday, 4 June 2025, 3:29 pm | Ian Powell
The heading I gave the post was Reasons for supporting ethnic cleansing, through genocide, in Palestine. This was my attempt at irony; by exploring the reasons that underpin the support for the genocidal ethnic cleansing in order to rebut them. More >>
Gisborne Hospital Senior Doctors Strike Highlights Important Health System Issues
Sunday, 1 June 2025, 7:49 pm | Ian Powell
Today’s dispute is in response to the uncompetitive conditions of employment, particularly salaries (there is a pay gap with Australia of around 65% on base 40-hour salaries). More >>
Why New Zealand Should Recognise Palestine
Wednesday, 28 May 2025, 6:10 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses why New Zealand should officially recognise Palestine in the context of the reasons for supporting ethnic cleansing and genocide of Palestinians. More >>
“I Can Confirm They Are Hypotheticals Drawn Largely From Anecdotes And Issues The Minister Has Heard About.”
Friday, 23 May 2025, 7:02 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses when health professions regulatory authorities policy is shaped by second hand anecdotes and issues. More >>
Predictable Smear On Senior Doctors
Sunday, 18 May 2025, 2:24 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses a predictable smear by a right-wing blogger on salaried senior doctors employed by Health New Zealand. More >>
Gender Pay Inequity Perpetuation And Venality
Wednesday, 14 May 2025, 6:53 pm | Ian Powell
Ian Powell discusses the Government’s unexpected decision to rush through Parliament legislation gutting gender pay equity claims. More >>
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 >>
