The current head of the Cancer Control Agency will take the role of acting Director-General of Health when Dr Ashley Bloomfield leaves in July.
Dr Diana Sarfati will hold the role until a permanent appointee is decided. She's currently the chief executive of Te Aho o Te Kahu, Cancer Control Agency, and was previously the national director of cancer control at the Ministry of Health.
"The Director-General of Health is a pivotal role leading a sector critical to the overall wellbeing of New Zealanders," a statement from the Public Service Commission said.
"The Ministry of Health is the Government's chief advisor on health matters. The Director-General of Health will lead the Ministry and, alongside the chief executives of Health New Zealand and the Māori Health Authority, the wider sector through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the forthcoming significant change to New Zealand’s health system."
From July, New Zealand's 20 District Health Boards (DHBs) will be disestablished and replaced with Health NZ and the Māori Health Authority, which will commission services. The Ministry of Health will move into a more strategic and policy-related role.
"As the chief steward for the health system, the Ministry will continue to set the strategic direction for health and will be responsible for developing national policy, regulation and monitoring," the Public Service Commission said.
Deputy Public Service Commissioner Helene Quilter said she was "very pleased" to appoint Dr Sarfati to the role.
"She has been an impressive leader at the Cancer Control Agency. Dr Sarfati has considerable experience and a sound understanding of New Zealand’s health system and has strong relationships across the sector."
Dr Sarfati will begin as the acting Director-General on July 30, while Nicola Hill will be the acting chief executive of the Cancer Control Agency.
"The Commission is running a recruitment process for the permanent Director-General of Health role and will advertise shortly."
