Health appoints six new chiefs

The WA Health Department has created six assistant director-general of health positions as part of a major shake-up aimed at making its operations less unwieldy.

The department took three years to find its new director-general of health, but the six new assistants, who were all department staff, started in the roles this week after responding to calls for expressions of interest.

Professor Bryant Stokes, who has been acting director-general since early 2013, said yesterday the new executive team would be in place for six months.

This would allow Fiona Stanley Hospital’s commissioning chief executive David Russell-Weisz to start as permanent health department chief in August and decide on permanent staff for the roles, which cover public health, clinical services and research, policy and planning, governance, purchasing and performance, and reform.

Among those appointed this week were long-time public health expert Tarun Weeramanthri and paediatric emergency medicine doctor and former Australian Medical Association WA president Gary Geelhoed.

Professor Stokes said the positions were designed to make the department run more smoothly and devolve responsibility for key areas to high-level staff. Health Minister Kim Hames and the Public Sector Commission have backed the restructure.

“It is part of a reform process that means everything will no longer need to be channelled through the director-general, and will allow more decisions to be made within divisions,” Professor Stokes said.

The six executives have been given until May 4 to detail how their areas will function.

It is understood Professor Stokes has made a recommendation to Dr Hames about whether private company Serco should continue to run sterilisation services at Fiona Stanley Hospital.

It comes after mishaps such as surgical items missing from packs and instruments with debris such as bone sent to operating theatres.