Metro North is the biggest public health service in Australia and includes the Prince Charles and Royal Brisbane hospitals. Photo: Paul Guy Source: News Corp Australia
QUEENSLAND’S largest public health service has poached the NSW Deputy Director-General of Health as its new chief executive.
Metro North Hospital and Health Service, which has an annual budget of $2.1 billion, told its 16,000 employees by email today that Ken Whelan would take up his appointment next month, ending months of leadership uncertainty.
Mr Whelan, who has worked in the health sector in Australia and New Zealand for 35 years, replaces Malcolm Stamp, who was suspended in September on full pay while the Crime and Corruption Commission investigates nepotism allegations.
The CCC probe is ongoing.
Mr Stamp’s contract was terminated “without cause” in January to allow Metro North, responsible for five southeast Queensland hospitals, including the Royal Brisbane and the Prince Charles, to appoint a new CEO.
Metro North is the biggest public health service in Australia, with the biggest budget. The service annually provides 800,000 outpatient appointments, looks after 200,000 patients admitted to hospital, 250,000 emergency department presentations and welcomes 8000 newborns, with a baby born, on average, every hour in one of its hospitals.
Mr Whelan’s appointment comes after months of leadership uncertainty at Metro North last year amid a series of sackings, suspensions and resignations.
The executive director positions of the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital and the Prince Charles have both been vacant, with acting Metro North CEO Terry Mehan making interim appointments.
Board chair Paul Alexander said today Mr Whelan would be responsible for permanently filling the executive director roles, and other key leadership positions within the health service.
Dr Alexander said Mr Whelan began his career as a psychiatric health nurse before taking up senior roles in health boards across New Zealand and Australia.
He said Mr Whelan was instrumental in rebuilding staff morale at the Bundaberg Hospital as the Wide Bay Health Service CEO after the Jayant Patel scandal.
Mr Mehan, a former Queensland Health Deputy Director-General, has acted in the Metro North CEO role since November last year.
“Terry has done an outstanding job in restoring confidence and certainty to the health service, and will be recognised for his work in engaging staff, clinicians and our community during this time,” Dr Alexander said.