The media spotlight was on former chief nurse Mark Jones and his travel expenses and yacht chartering last month.
Jones unexpectedly resigned before Christmas and media reports in late February linked his resignation to an investigation into his personal expenses.
In an email to Nursing Review, Jones admitted he was “irritated” about justifying valid travel expenses but would not comment on rumours that an expenses dispute prompted his departure. A confidentiality agreement covers his terms of resignation but Nursing Review understands the expenses issue was not the reason.
Jones responded to Nursing Review queries on initial travel expense reports but could not be contacted about subsequent reports that he chartered a yacht for a meeting of Australasian chief nurses. It is understood the yacht was chartered in the Bay of Islands in December 2008 during a meeting of Australian and New Zealand chief nurses and nursing leaders as a team-building exercise.
The ministry says the yacht charter was unauthorised and is now seeking reimbursement of the $1250 charter fee from Jones and is following up an investigation of his personal spending by investigating all expenditure against his budget.
Initially in response to an Official Information Request by Radio New Zealand, the Ministry of Health released details of Jones’ travel and accommodation expenses compared to other chief advisors. The details showed that for the 16 months to the end of the year Jones’ travel and accommodation expenses were nearly $40,000 compared to an average of $18,000 for the other chief advisors and directors.
Two days later the Ministry confirmed further media reports that Jones had chartered a yacht and said the yacht expense was unauthorised.
Prior to the yacht reports Jones told Nursing Review there was an increasing requirement by the ministry to curb travel-related expenditure and he had been “made aware of the need to do so”. When asked if this issue helped prompt his departure he responded: “All I will say is that it was irritating to have to justify travel that was warranted and it did frustrate me at times.”
The ministry initially said Jones had a national role and represented New Zealand at “a number of overseas forums with regards to nursing matters”. But after the yacht charter was publicised it said there were guidelines about use of ministry funds and any irregularities would be investigated.
Jones said all his travel and accommodation expenses were approved by his manager. He said his costs were probably higher than those of other advisors because he believed it was important to get out and about in the sector and he had international commitments such as the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and the Australian and New Zealand Council of Chief Nurses. Jones also had an agreement for a funded trip back to the UK to undertake his doctoral examination.
College of Nurses executive director Jenny Carryer was supportive of Jones and concerned that life could be made “so difficult for people in public service roles” in the current environment.
Nurse Executives spokeswoman Jocelyn Peach said NENZ was unwilling to comment on the expenses investigation and yacht charter other than to say that Nurse Executives had appreciated Jones’ work as a nurse leader in the ministry and his being available to them when they needed his support and guidance.
NZNO chief executive Geoff Annals said he was sorry Jones had gone and it was regrettable that there were questions around expenditure which created a negative picture around the chief nurse position.
* Mark Jones on nursing leadership – see "Nursing leadership more important than ever, says former chief nurse".
