Forthcoming October 2026 (ebook to follow)
$49.99
294 pp, paperback
230 x 170mm
ISBN: 978-1-98-850356-1
Across the world, organisations and public systems are under strain – facing rising demand, constrained resources and reforms that seldom deliver lasting improvement.
One System tells the inside story of a rare exception.
Over more than a decade, Canterbury radically reimagined how its health system could work. The aim was simple: to act as one system, organised around people rather than institutions.
This new way of working was tested under the most difficult conditions: the Canterbury earthquakes, the Christchurch mosque attacks and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Written by two of those who led the work, One System offers a candid and practical account of enabling transformation in real conditions, under constant pressure and without the illusion of a perfect master plan.
Grounded in health care but relevant far beyond it, One System is for leaders, clinicians, governors, policymakers and anyone grappling with change in a complex system.
David Meates MNZM is an internationally recognised health system leader and former Chief Executive of the Canterbury and West Coast District Health Boards. Over more than a decade, with responsibility for a workforce of 18,000 people, he led the transformation of the Canterbury Health System from a mix of fragmented services into an integrated system organised around people, shared purpose and collective responsibility. David now advises boards and leaders across sectors on governance, leadership and how to achieve lasting change in complex systems.
Carolyn Gullery is a New Zealand health system leader and strategist in service redesign and commissioning who has gained international recognition. When she was Executive Director of Planning, Funding and Decision Support for the Canterbury and West Coast District Health Boards, she was accountable for a $1.8 billion annual budget and designed the alliancing, funding and information foundations on which the transformation of the Canterbury Health System depended. Carolyn now advises health systems and organisations around the world on analytics, commissioning and integrated care.
