Southern District Health Board chief executive Chris Fleming is stepping down after 30 years in the sector.

Chris announced his decision earlier this week, stating he would finish up on June 30, a move that would allow him to pursue new business opportunities with his family.

Of his 30 years in the health sector, Chris spent 15 of them leading three different district health boards - South Canterbury, Nelson Marlborough and Southern.

However, he was now making time for other ventures.

“For the past couple of years I have been considering future opportunities to purchase a business that I could work together with my wife and provide my son an opportunity to support him to secure his future,” he said.

“Despite the exciting future ahead in health, with the transition to Health New Zealand on 1 July, I have been contemplating the right move for me and my family, and I’ve decided that the time is right for me to do something completely different for now. 

"It is likely that I may become involved in the health system again in the future, but for now will focus on establishing ourselves in the businesses we are acquiring. We will be relocating to the Waikato, which is where I am originally from.”

Chris said it had been a real privilege to have been entrusted with the role of chief executive for South Canterbury, Nelson Marlborough, and for the past six years, Southern DHB.

“We have made some great achievements in the southern health system and there is plenty more to come under the new Health NZ banner, personally I am supportive of the intentions behind the reforms and believe it will strengthen the New Zealand Health System,” he said.

Southern DHB chairman Pete Hodgson said the board was grateful for Mr Fleming’s efforts in leading the organisation.

“The board learned today of Chris’ decision to draw his long career as a chief executive of several DHBs to a close. Our response has been to express our gratitude to him for his steadfast leadership of the Southern DHB and to wish him well in the next passage of his life,” Pete said.

He said Chris had led the DHB through both difficult and successful times, had served under two separate boards and a set of commissioners.

"He has led the significant improvement of the board’s financial deficits, helped to resolve multiple clinical challenges and has been deeply immersed in the new Dunedin Hospital project. Most recently he and all staff have been focused on the challenge of Covid-19, including the successful rollout of the vaccination programme.

Pete said leading the Southern DHB was not for the faint-hearted.

"Its challenges have always been cultural, geographical, and financial. The forthcoming new Dunedin Hospital and the move to the new health system have both presented the opportunity and obligation to create New Zealand’s most modern health system. Chris has seen us begin that journey."

The chief executive of Health New Zealand will determine the next steps in terms of leadership for Southern DHB staff as it transitions to Health NZ.

No formal decisions have yet been made.