Assurance spending cuts at Health New Zealand won't extend to the clinical workforce

Its Board has been sacked, replaced by a solitary Commissioner - Lester Levy .

The Government's blaming health reforms for causing overspending of about 130 million dollars a month.

Levy says staff optimisation's needed, but not generally in the clinical space.

He says they're to get more productivity and clinical services out of that area, but they're not making the savings there.

Levy will appoint four regional Deputy Chief Executives - to make decisions closer to points of care.