Job Description

The Ministry of Health – Manatū Hauora (the Ministry) is seeking candidates who wish to be considered for appointment as Chairperson AND Deputy Chairperson of the Health Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal – Te Rōpū Whakatika Kaimahi Hauora (the Tribunal). The Tribunal is established under section 84 of the Health Practitioners Competence Assurance Act 2003 (the Act). The purpose of Tribunal is to hear charges laid against health practitioners by professional conduct committees established by responsible authorities and the Health and Disability Commissioner's Director of Proceedings.

About the role – Kōrero mō te tūranga

Being a member of the Tribunal is rewarding and challenging. You will be committed to improving the health of New Zealanders through protecting the consumers of health services by hearing charges arising from the conduct of health practitioners. The Tribunal's decisions also provide a valuable educative role in setting and maintaining professional standards.

The functions and powers of the Tribunal are set out in sections 85, 91, 100, and 101 of the HPCA Act. More information about the Tribunal is available in the attached terms of reference and on the Tribunals website.

The Chair and Deputy Chairs are appointed to the Tribunal by Associate Minister of Health, Hon Matt Doocey, for terms of up to three years and can be reappointed. No person may hold office as the Chair or Deputy Chair for more than nine consecutive years.

Neither Chair nor Deputy Chair roles are full-time positions. Hearing length differs for a variety of reasons but it can generally be expected that a hearing will take anywhere from one day up to three weeks with the majority being heard over one or two days. By the time the Chair is being allocated and tribunal members are convened, the fixture length has been determined and will not exceed the timeframe allocated (although it may sometimes finish in less time).

In most cases, travel to a hearing venue will be required for face-to-face hearings, however hearings will also occur via audio-visual link from time to time. Remuneration rates are attached to this advertisement.

The Ministry recognises that diversity enables our boards and councils to be high-performing and is committed to ensuring they represent the diversity in New Zealand's population, including gender, ethnicity, disability, age and geographic location. The Ministry encourages applications from people from all backgrounds, especially those who can reflect the needs, values and beliefs of Māori and who have an understanding of and commitment to meeting the obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi.

About you – Kōrero mōu

Chair and Deputy Chairs must be a barrister or solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand with at least seven years' practice in accordance with section 86 of the HPCA Act. Chair and Deputy Chairs must have skills and abilities of a judicial officer, and in particular:

• Significant experience in:
• Tribunal and court litigation
• The health and disability sector
• Leadership
• Keen judgement, particularly the ability to analyse and evaluate evidence, and the ability to evaluate personalities
• Facilitation skills:
• In the hearing room, to maintain good order and when adjudicating, the Chair and Deputy Chairs must be a team player to ensure all Tribunal members participate fully
• Excellent written and reasoning skills.

Under section 86 of the HPCA Act, members of a Responsible Authority board are not eligible to be a Chair, Deputy Chair, or a member of the Tribunal.

How to apply – Me pēhea te tono

Applications must be made using the Ministry online Career Centre by close of business on 20 May 2025 and include:

• a completed declaration form (attached), and
• a covering letter, and
• a current CV.

Due diligence checks will be undertaken for shortlisted applicants. Your personal information will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Act 2020. The Ministry may also request that the New Zealand Security Intelligence Service conduct national security screening of you as part of the appointment process.

The appointment process can be lengthy, taking up to six months. Your patience and professionalism as we work through the next steps is appreciated. The outcome of the recruitment process for the Board will be confirmed after it has been considered by the Cabinet Appointments and Honours Committee.

Who we are – Ko wai mātou

See the Ministry of Health - Manatū Hauora Board appointments webpage for more information.

If you would like to obtain further information or clarification, or if your circumstances change or should you wish to withdraw your application, please contact the Statutory Appointments team by emailing: appointments@health.govt.nz

We value diversity and are committed to working in an inclusive and respectful way. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and appreciate the richness of experience that your point of difference could bring to the role. Please contact us if there is any support we can provide to ensure the recruitment process is accessible to you.