Plunket Chief Executive announces decision to step down in 2016

After seven years as Chief Executive of the Royal New Zealand Plunket Society, Jenny Prince has announced she will step down from the role in February 2016 to spend more time with her own family.

“I’m proud and humbled to lead Plunket. It’s a privilege to work in partnership with New Zealand families and communities to help give their young children the best start in life,” said Jenny Prince. “I feel seven years is a good length of time for a CE to lead an organisation, and I have made the decision to step down at a moment where Plunket is poised to take the next step in its journey towards ensuring the best start for every child. The recent arrival of my first grandchild has played a part in the timing of my decision and I’m looking forward to spending more time with my family.”

Jenny Prince’s involvement with Plunket spans over 30 years, first as a volunteer, then as a Plunket nurse working with families in Clendon, South Auckland. She studied business management and took on operational and senior management roles at Plunket, in 2009 becoming the organisation’s first female CE.

Plunket’s New Zealand President Andree Talbot paid tribute to Jenny Prince’s long contribution: “Jenny has a unique knowledge of Plunket, and a rare talent for leadership. Throughout her career she has focused on getting better outcomes for more children - as a Plunket nurse, this led her to start Saturday and evening clinics so more families could get their children to their Well Child checks. As Chief Executive of Plunket, it has meant improving our support for frontline staff, and advocating for the systemic changes needed to tackle inequitable health outcomes for children, through her involvement in the government’s Children’s Action Plan.”

She said Jenny Prince’s focus on using technology to drive a more effective service is a key part of her legacy: “By February 2016 we will be in a position to begin the roll out of our electronic Plunket Health Record (ePHR) nationally. By recording children’s health check information by tablet and app instead of paper and pen, staff will spend less time on administration and have more time to care. We have further to go, but we’re at an exciting time in our history and we thank Jenny for her significant contribution to Plunket, and to New Zealand families.”

Plunket’s Board will begin a process to recruit Plunket’s new leader, with a view to making an appointment in the New Year.

“Plunket people are so often the glue that connects a family or whānau to a range of support services, profoundly improving their children’s health outcomes,” said Andree Talbot. “We are able to do this because we work in partnership, together, the best start for every child. Thanks to Jenny’s contribution, we are positioned to do even more for New Zealand families and children.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media