Key positions to clinical council announced

Key positions to Hawke’s Bay District Health Board’s clinical council announced

Napier GP and chairman of New Zealand’s Medical Association Peter Foley along with Hawke’s Bay hospital physician John Gommans have been appointed Chief Medical Officer’s primary and hospital (respectively) to Hawke’s Bay District Health Board’s new clinical council.

The clinical council, the first of its kind in New Zealand, is designed to provide clinical advice to the DHB’s board so it can better align its clinical services with the needs of the community and provide oversight to clinical quality and patient safety.

Dr Foley said he was excited about the appointment as he was committed to returning his national and international experience to the Hawke’s Bay community “which is home”.

“I have said for years that DHBs should be integrating hospital and non-hospital clinical expertise so they can provide the best level of care for all in their communities.

“Despite giving up some of my aged care work, I won’t immediately be able to commit to the full hours this role warrants, but I am grateful the DHB has appointed me with that constraint.

“From May next year I will be relinquishing much of my national focus so I can dedicate the time I need to ensure this new appointment makes a real difference to patient care in Hawke’s Bay,” Dr Foley said.

Dr Gommans said he and his hospital colleagues were looking forward to working more closely with their primary care colleagues to improve the quality of health services for the people of Hawke’s Bay.

Chief executive Kevin Snee said he was delighted to announce the appointments of two highly experienced clinicians who had a wealth of national and international knowledge which the community would benefit from.

“This is a first for New Zealand - the entire calibre of the council will give clinical leadership the focus it deserves from a DHB,

“A healthy community needs the joint efforts of all the clinicians – nurses, doctors midwives and others from the entire health sector,” Dr Snee said.

The two CMO positions will initially jointly chair the Clinical Council.

Also announced are the appointments to the council of Chris McKenna Director of Nursing hospital, Eldred Gilbert Director of Nursing primary care, Director of Population Health Dr Caroline McElnay and Chief Executive Kevin Snee.

A further 10 clinical positions to the council are yet to be made. The DHB expects to finalise these positions early next month.

The first meeting of the council is scheduled to take place at the end of September.

ENDS

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