Four Canterbury District Health Board (DHB) executives that walked off last year following a stand-off with the board over budget cuts have received exit payments, according to a Newsroom report.

According to an Audit New Zealand report seen by Newsroom, the four executives include former chief executive David Meates, who left the Canterbury DHB after only serving a one-month notice period.

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Last year, Canterbury DHB came under fire from the health ministry over its $243.4 million deficit – with the health ministry and Crown monitor Lester Levy blaming the shortfall on poor financial management and operational overspending.

According to Newsroom, Audit NZ noted that the four members who left the DHB between July and October 2020 have been paid based on sound decisions to settle, and that “appropriate mediation had occurred as relevant”.

It was also suggested that a reasonable “hurt and humiliation” payment was given to Meates.

“Canterbury DHB’s position is that the employee had a genuine grievance and that the amount paid was reasonable based on the hurt and humiliation suffered by the employee,” DHB management told Newsroom.

For his part, Meates told Newsroom in an email that the details of the matters “are private to the individuals involved.”

“We won’t be commenting on private employment matters,” said Meates.