Dame Karen Poutasi: Celebrating a Legacy of Leadership in New Zealand Health

Health Minister Simeon Brown has acknowledged Dame Karen Poutasi and her extensive service to the New Zealand health system and the public sector more broadly.

Dame Karen was 76.

With a professional background in public health medicine, Dame Karen had a deep understanding of the health sector.

She had senior roles in Dunedin and Middlemore Hospital before being appointed Chief Health Officer at the Department of Health.

In that role she headed the work required to implement the recommendations of the Cartright Inquiry on cervical cancer.

Dame Karen served as Director-General of Health for 11 years, and subsequently Chief Executive of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) for 14 years.

In 2019 she was seconded to serve as Commissioner of the Waikato District Health Board, before joining the Board of Health New Zealand, later becoming its Chair.

In all her various roles, Dame Karen brought a wealth of public health expertise.

She leaves a strong legacy of work to improve health outcomes for all New Zealanders.

On behalf of the Government and people of New Zealand, I extend our deepest condolences to Dame Karen’s family and friends, Mr Brown says.