As the employing and accountable authority of EMHS as a Health Service Provider (HSP), EMHS Board carefully monitors and directs EMHS’ performance to ensure workforce capability and the provision of high-quality, safe health care.
The EMHS Board Committees enable accountable and transparent governance.
Board Finance Committee
Chair: Andrew Whitechurch
Meetings held: 8
The Board Finance Committee acts as the Board’s primary mechanism for financial oversight, assurance and forward financial strategy, ensuring EMHS operates efficiently, compliantly and sustainably whilst supporting delivery of strategic objectives.
Core focus areas of the Committee are:
- financial stewardship and performance oversight
- budget and financial planning
- compliance and governance
- risk and assurance
- major investments and commercial decisions
- financial reporting and statutory obligations
- strategic financial insight.
Board Audit and Risk Committee
Chair: Melissa Grove
Meetings held: 5
The Board Audit and Risk Committee is the Board’s primary mechanism for oversight of risk, audit and internal control environments, ensuring EMHS maintains strong governance, compliance and assurance frameworks to support safe, accountable and effective operations.
Core focus areas of the Committee are:
- risk oversight and enterprise risk management
- internal audit and control assurance
- external audit and assurance coordination
- compliance and governance integrity
- financial and performance reporting assurance
- risk culture and organisational resilience
- system-wide and cross-committee risk coordination.
Board Patient Experience and Clinical Excellence Committee
Chair: Denise Glennon
Meetings held: 6
The Board Patient Experience and Clinical Excellence Committee is the Board’s primary mechanism for oversight of patient safety, clinical quality and experience, ensuring EMHS delivers safe, high-quality, patient-centred care with continuous improvement and strong clinical governance.
Core focus areas of the Committee are:
- clinical governance and safety and quality assurance
- patient experience and consumer engagement
- quality improvement and clinical excellence
- performance monitoring
- risk and clinical assurance
- strategic advice on care delivery
- system collaboration
- accreditation readiness.
Board Operational Performance and Strategy Committee
Chair: Tracey Maroney
Meetings held: 3
This Committee acted as the Board’s primary forum for integrating performance oversight with strategic planning, ensuring EMHS delivers sustainable, high-performing and future focused health service aligned to community needs and system priorities.
Core focus areas of the Committee were:
- operational performance and system oversight
- strategic planning and alignment
- service planning and sustainability
- people, culture and workforce capability
- innovation and digital transformations
- strategic risk and system reform.
The Board Operational Performance and Strategy Committee was disbanded in 2025.
The EMHS Board now monitors these areas of focus via a newly implemented monthly (and larger quarterly) Chief Executive report to Board, and a new Board People and Wellbeing Committee.
Board People and Wellbeing Committee
Chair: Kane Blackman
Meetings held: 2
Established in 2026, the Board People and Wellbeing Committee acts as the Board’s primary mechanism for oversight of workforce, culture and staff wellbeing, ensuring EMHS has a capable, safe, engaged and sustainable workforce that supports high-quality care and organisational performance.
Core focus areas of the Committee are:
- workforce strategy and sustainability
- diversity, equity and inclusion
- staff engagement
- capability and leadership
- staff safety and wellbeing
- performance, compliance and workforce governance
- integrity, risk and organisational culture
- strategic workforce insight and improvement
- equity and cultural lens.