Fionnagh Dougan resigns as Queensland Children’s Hospital chief executive to return to New Zealand
The Queensland Children’s Hospital chief executive Fionnagh Dougan has resigned after four years in the role.
QLD News
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THE Queensland Children’s Hospital chief executive Fionnagh Dougan has resigned to return to New Zealand after four years in the role.
Ms Dougan took over the reins of the $1.5 billion hospital in early 2015, soon after its disastrous opening under former Premier Campbell Newman’s LNP Government. She is also an adjunct professor at the University of Queensland’s faculty of medicine.
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Queensland Health Minister Steven Miles changed the facility’s name from the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital (LCCH) late last year.
Ms Dougan came to Queensland after working in New Zealand, where she held a number of leadership roles with the Auckland District Health Board.
New Zealand’s Capital and Coast and Hutt Valley District Health Boards announced today that Ms Dougan had been appointed their new Chief Executive, effective from July 1.
In a statement today, the Children’s Health Queensland Hospital and Health Service said it would launch a new search for a chief executive to replace Ms Dougan.
CHQ board chair David Gow said Ms Dougan would finish her role with the health service on June 28.
In August 2015, a review of the hospital’s opening found the then Children’s Hospital Queensland Hospital and Health Service Board had insisted on the facility opening, as planned, on November 29, 2014, “despite repeated, revised forecast practical completion dates”.
“The Review Panel found across multiple sources and from numerous stakeholders, evidence to support the notion that building, systems and staff of LCCH were not fully operationally ready on the 29th November 2014,” a report found.
Mr Gow said today that Ms Dougan had made a “remarkable contribution” to CHQ during her tenure.
He said that through her leadership, Ms Dougan had united the workforce and culture at the Queensland Children’s Hospital — an amalgamation of the former Royal Children’s and Mater Children’s public hospitals.
“Fionnagh has championed clinical excellence throughout our services and assembled an outstanding leadership team focused on innovation and the delivery of world-class, family-centred care for Queensland children, regardless of where they live,” Mr Gow said.