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Health New Zealand is appointing Dr Dale Bramley as chief executive, handing the reins to the former head of Waitematā DHB permanently after he stepped in temporarily when Margie Apa resigned earlier this year.

Bramley has been the organisation’s interim chief executive since February 2025 after Apa stepped down from the role after three years.

Apa and Health NZ Commissioner Professor Lester Levy had planned a two-year “reset” of the organisation amid serious budget challenges, including a $722 million deficit for the 2023/24 year.

The pair had planned the reset with the aim of bringing the organisation within budget by mid-2026, however that was later pushed to mid-2027.

Health NZ Commissioner Professor Lester Levy and Margie Apa during the health select committtee hearing at Parliament, Wellington, in December. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Bramley will serve as chief executive from July 14 for a three-year term.

Levy, who was appointed former Health Minister Shane Reti in July last year over governance and spending concerns, said Bramley had a deep knowledge of the health system after more than two decades as a senior health leader.

He spent more than 10 years as chief executive of the Waitematā DHB.

Health NZ said Bramley was a published scholar, an MBA graduate of the Henley Business School, and the recipient of several awards including the Harkness international fellowship in Health Policy by the Commonwealth Fund (USA).

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He was a medically qualified, practising public health medicine specialist.

Levy said this experience put Bramley in “good stead” to drive Health NZ’s improvement, focused on delivery, outcomes and enhancing patient experience.

“Dale has led a large DHB, hospitals, maternity services, mental health services, community and national services. He is widely respected across the healthcare system as both a senior clinician and senior executive.”

Dr Dale Bramley. Photo / Dean Purcell

Bramley said serving the wider community and improving health outcomes was an absolute priority for him.

“Our health system is blessed with incredibly skilled, highly trained, and compassionate people.

“Working with them, we will aim to improve access to health services, promote health, and focus on delivering the very highest quality healthcare we can for patients, whānau and communities.”

Julia Gabel is a Wellington-based political reporter. She joined the Herald in 2020 and has most recently focused on data journalism.