Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
The health minister says he expects decisions to be made as close to patients as possible, as he directs Health New Zealand to devolve its decision-making.
But whether clinical heads of departments will get to hold their own budgets is still something to be determined by the board.
Simeon Brown appeared before Parliament's Health Committee on Tuesday for Scrutiny Week.
Last week, he released a letter of expectations setting out his stance that too many decisions were made by people removed from the frontline, and has told Health New Zealand to come up with a plan to devolve decision-making to regions and districts.
Labour MP Ingrid Leary asked Brown whether the decision not to fund Wellington mental health recovery centre Whakam
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