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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]
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 >>
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 >>
