Cheryl Vardon appointed chair of North West Hospital and Health Service’s new board
An embattled Queensland health service has a new board eight months after an administrator was brought in amid concerns around mismanagement.
QLD Politics
Don't miss out on the headlines from QLD Politics. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A permanent board has finally been appointed at the North West Hospital and Health Service after an administrator was brought in amid concerns around financial management and governance.
Former Queensland Family and Children Commission principal commissioner Cheryl Vardon has been appointed as chair with a deputy still to be announced.
The state government put the call out for applications in October last year after appointing former Queensland Health director-general Michael Walsh as administrator in June.
It followed concerns around sustainable governance and financial management at the HHS.
Health Minister Yvette D’Ath on Friday said there was still one vacancy to be filled.
“I am really pleased that I have a new board coming in, headed up by Cheryl Vardon at North West,” she said.
“I think that will be really promising to work with them about how we improve the services across that area.”
Ms D’Ath said the new members had experience across a wide variety of sectors including local government, primary care, medical administration, clinical education, construction, finance and children’s advocacy.
“The new chair, Cheryl Vardon, was the inaugural Chief Executive and Principal
Commissioner of the Queensland Family and Child Commission for six years and has a track record in advocating for children,” she said.
The other board members are Professor Eleanor Milligan, Thomas Armagnacq, Catherine Brokenborough, Linda Ford, David Keenan, Jane McMillan, Dr Mellissa Naidoo and Dr Marco Giuseppin.
The North West HHS services around 32,000 people in north western Queensland and the Gulf of Carpentaria and governs the Cloncurry, Doomadgee, Julia Creek, Mornington Island, Mount Isa and Nomanton hospitals and a number of health centres.
It is one of 16 HHS boards in Queensland, which manage the state’s health services and report to the Health Minister.
Minister’s back in the game as NAPLAN results need a lift
Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek’s renewed enthusiasm for improving NAPLAN results is welcome, writes the editor.
Storm shield: How AI will protect our state of disaster
Queensland has secured world-first AI storm detection technology in a $3m partnership between Suncorp and the state government to revolutionise natural disaster response.