Mackay Hospital and Health Service will welcome experienced health professional Lisa Davies Jones as its new Chief Executive.
Ms Davies Jones comes from a secondment in the Department of Health where she has led a team in establishing the new Office of Rural and Remote Health to provide a central point of contact in the department and increasing the voice of rural and remote Queenslanders at the policy table.
Prior to this she was Chief Executive of the North West Hospital and Health Service based in Mt Isa.
Mackay Hospital and Health Board Acting Chair Darryl Camilleri said Ms Davies Jones’ appointment followed a State-wide recruitment process.
She will start her 12-month appointment in early November.
“We are delighted to welcome Lisa to the team. Her management skills and clinical experience mean she is well placed to lead Mackay HHS into the future,” Mr Camilleri said.
“Her broad ranging healthcare career within nursing, service improvement, healthcare management and clinical governance will be an asset,” he said.
Ms Davies Jones started her career as a nurse in London progressing to become Deputy Chief Operating Officer of a large group of rural and regional hospitals in the West Midlands in the UK before moving to Townsville University Hospital in 2013.
She said she was thrilled to take on the position and looked forward to becoming part of the HHS community.
“I welcome the opportunities and challenges of working in partnership to improve the health outcomes of all north Queenslanders and I am excited to be back in the north.
“I have a huge passion for working collaboratively with all health service providers to help improve health equity. I’m a big believer in engaging with community because it’s really difficult to have an impact unless you are connected to the voice of the people we are here to serve.
“COVID-19 has shown health providers can adapt quickly to the challenges we face and work together for the good of the community and I hope to build on these learnings to strengthen healthcare in the region.
“I’m also a strong believer in investing in the workforce to provide more care closer to home and to support staff to work in multi-professional teams at the top of their scope.
“My role is to care for the people who care for our patients and communities and I take this very seriously. Health care workers deserve every bit of our time, energy and personal investment to support them in delivering great services,” she said.
When she’s not working Ms Davies Jones can be found on her road bike and is known the have the occasional race.
