A Dunedin Hospital senior doctor was paid $408,000 in a severance payment in 2016-17, it has emerged. The figure was released yesterday in the Southern District Health Board’s annual report. The second highest termination settlement was $178,000. To allay speculation the biggest payout was that of former chief executive Carole Heatly, the DHB said it was for a departing clinician. ‘‘We are unable to share details of individual employment matters. However, we can confirm that the $408,000 payment does not relate to any management position within the DHB. ‘‘The payment was in line with a nationally agreed collective employment agreement terms and conditions,’’ DHB chief executive Chris Fleming said in a statement.
