Rebecca Graham announced as new CEO for Women’s and Children’s Hospital Network

The new CEO of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Network has been announced, five months after the abrupt resignation of the old head.

The interim CEO of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Network has been appointed as the permanent boss.

Rebecca Graham has been acting as CEO of the WCHN since September last year after the former head, Lindsey Gough, resigned giving just one week notice to staff.

Formerly CEO of the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network, Ms Graham said she had spent five months as interim WCHN head “deeply listening and observing where we are as a network”, and meeting as many staff as possible.

Rebecca Graham has been announced as CEO of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Network. Picture: Emma Brasier

“There have been some challenging conversations and hard truths shared and I thank you all for trusting me enough to speak candidly about how we can build a network that is truly culturally safe, inclusive and supportive for all,” she said.

Ms Gough’s sudden exit came after a tumultuous month for the WCH, including a cochlear implant scandal dating back at 17 years and affecting 30 children who had their implants wrongly implanted – which then widened in November after a further review.

It also followed the Coroner’s finding a six-week-old baby died in the WCH when his oxygen levels dropped after doctors decided to put off a procedure until the morning.

The WCH also embarrassingly lost training accreditation for its Paediatric Intensive Care Unit and only gained provisional accreditation for its Neonatal ICU – the PICU has since won back provisional accreditation.

Ms Graham has also been appointed as construction starts on the new WCH, with plans finalised for the first stages of the project, including the hospital’s eight-storey carpark.

Ms Graham said her ‘why’ was to “foster an environment for people to be their best”.

She said since taking over as interim CEO, the hospital network had achieved a level one performance rating from the Department for Health and Wellbeing and the full three-year accreditation under the National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.

“We have also achieved an incredibly high consumer satisfaction rating, which is testament to the brilliant, patient and family-centred care we provide,” she said.

WCHN governing board chair Associate Professor Christine Dennis welcomed Ms Graham’s appointment.

“Rebecca is a highly courageous and exceptional leader who has already had a positive impact since taking on the role of interim CEO in September last year,” she said.

“I applaud the way Rebecca has hit the ground running and become a fierce advocate for the WCHN community, staff and consumers.

“Rebecca’s vast experience in senior leadership roles across SA Health, including most recently as the CEO of the Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network, will be a great asset for our network.

“This is a strategically vital role for the future of South Australian healthcare as we continue the development of our New WCH and I have no doubt that Rebecca is the right person to lead the network through the challenges ahead.”