21 August 2009
Executive Medical Director to improve local decision-making
Highly regarded local surgeon and medical educator Graeme Richardson has been
appointed to the new position of Executive Medical Director for Wagga Wagga Base
Hospital to improve local decision-making.
The appointment was announced today by NSW Minister for Health, John Della Bosca,
as part of the NSW Government’s Caring Together: The Health Action Plan for NSW.
“Executive Medical Directors will work with local health management to better support
local decision-making and the adoption of new and improved ways of delivering health
care to the community,” the Minister said.
The position will also provide independent advice on:
“Executive Medical Directors will also play an important role in consulting and
communicating with local doctors,” the Minister said.
Dr Richardson also holds the positions of Staff Specialist Surgeon and Director of
Postgraduate Training for Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and Associate Professor of
Surgery for the University of NSW’s Rural Clinical School in Wagga Wagga.
Professor Richardson was the second rural vascular surgeon in Australia and pioneered
vascular ultrasound particularly in venous disease, gaining an international reputation.
He also pioneered regional trauma services, teleradiology for head injury management,
rural breast screening and assessment and the Early Management of Severe Trauma
course in Wagga Wagga.
The Minister also announced that Dr Tony Whelan has been appointed Executive
Medical Director at Goulburn Base Hospital and Expressions of Interest for the roles at
Griffith and Bega Base Hospitals are currently being called.
“As part of the Caring Together action plan,Wagga Wagga will also benefit from nine
Clinical Support Officers to enable senior nurses to focus on patient care and safety –
not paperwork - and a Clinical Initiative Nurse to fast-track patients through the
Emergency Department,” Mr Della Bosca said.
“As the Garling Report points out, NSW has one of the better public health care systems
in the developed world but we need to meet the challenges of increasing health costs
and an ageing population,” he said.
“The Caring Together action plan is the result of extensive consultation across the State
and from working closely with doctors, nurses and other health staff,” the Minister said.
“These initiatives are only the beginning of important changes to continue to deliver the
best possible health care and to ensure on-going patient care and safety,” Mr Della
Bosca said.
Further information on Caring Together: The Health Action Plan for NSW is
available at http://healthactionplan.nsw.gov.au
For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au
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