EMHS Board
With experience in a wide range of fields including clinical services, health management, law, finance, consumer engagement and business, the EMHS Board is appointed by the Minister for Health to help determine the strategic direction of EMHS and holds overall accountability for service delivery and performance.
The EMHS Board Patient Experience and Clinical Excellence Committee has welcomed Ms Clare Grieveson to serve as an External Consultant and Mr Ben Horgan as Consumer Representative. Clare brings her experience as the Chief Executive Officer for Southern Cross Care WA to the Committee and Ben has provided valuable input and feedback to help the Board improve the patient experience and safety and quality at EMHS.
Board focus and engagement in 2024-25
To assist in strengthening the Board’s understanding of its duties, the Board undertook their Code of Conduct refresher training at the December 2024 Board meeting and completed a Clinical Governance for Boards Workshop in April 2025.
The Board continued its approach to leader rounding in 2024-25, ensuring engagement with staff and consumers across the organisation. Leader rounding was held at the beginning of every Board meeting, providing the Board members opportunities to visit various areas across EMHS and staff the opportunity to discuss issues, challenges and celebrations within their place of work. Some of these engagement opportunities included:
- at Royal Perth Hospital (RPH), the Board visited the EMHS Health in a Virtual Environment team, the RPH Acute Medical Unit and the RPH Freedom of Information team, EMHS People and Culture, RPH Stores and RPH Pharmacy teams
- at St John of God Midland Public Hospital, the Board had a tour of the Emergency Department and Ambulatory Care Unit, Mental Health Unit, Stroke Ward and Moort Boodjari Mia, a community based Aboriginal perinatal service
- meeting with the EMHS Eating Disorder Specialist Service, Cyber Security and Procurement and Contracting teams
- touring Kalamunda Hospital, including engagement with staff and patients in Palliative Care Services and the Day Procedure Unit
- a tour of the Emergency Department, Dialysis service, Allied Health and Community Rehabilitation, Kitchen and Patient Support Services at Armadale Health Service
- undertaking a patient food audit hosted by the Kalamunda Hospital Kitchen Service.
The Board also had an opportunity to engage with staff by inviting them to the Board meetings to give a presentation on their area and any initiatives currently underway or host a workshop with the Board. Some of these areas included:
- Community and Virtual Care
- Allied Health
- Nursing Directors
- Clinical Services and Voluntary Assisted Dying
- The Junior Medical Officer Society Chairs
- Clinical Strategy, Planning and Performance.
The Board also welcomed visits and discussions with the Mental Health Commissioner, Ms Maureen Lewis, Executive Director for the Health Consumers Council, Dr Clare Mullen, Director General of WA Health, Dr Shirley Bowen and representatives from the Insurance Commission of WA.
The EMHS Board Chair and members also had the opportunity to engage with teams across EMHS at various events including:
- EMHS Excellence Symposium
- RPH Art Exhibition Launch
- EMHS Reconciliation week
- RPBG Nursing and Midwifery Awards
- EMHS Values in Action Awards
- RPH Innovation Hub Launch
- Aboriginal Health Champions Onboarding Session.
In 2024-25 the EMHS Board held:
- 11 Board meetings
- 11 Finance Committee meetings
- 8 Board Patient Experience and Clinical Excellence (formerly Safety and Quality) Committee meetings
- 6 Board Audit and Risk Committee meetings
- 5 Board Operational Performance and Strategy Committee meetings
- 8 leader rounding opportunities.
