From the Board Chair

Congratulations to all the people who have built EMHS into what it is today – for forging its unique culture, impacting people’s lives, solving challenges and creating new services and structures together. This includes previous Chair Pia Turcinov AM, who served as Chair for nearly 3 years and on the Board for 6.

Now, 10 years in, with a steady population growth, in particular in EMHS locations, we enter a second decade, as a collective, with much on our plates. The EMHS catchment area is expected to have a population of 903,653 by 2031-32 – the largest of all the metropolitan health regions.

EMHS is benefiting from new funding from the State Government’s $2 billion Building Hospitals Fund and the Federal Government, enabling transformative change through new projects such as:

a new multi-storey building at Royal Perth Hospital (RPH), including 2 floors dedicated to the Emergency Department (ED)
the addition of Mount Lawley Hospital, which has been purchased from the private sector
a $355 million upgrade to St John of God Midland Public Hospital (SJGMPH), a joint State and Federal project
a new, community-based $42.2 million Byford Health Hub
an innovative new $167 million Bentley Surgicentre, also jointly funded by the State and Federal governments.

These developments will enable team members to strengthen the founding network of RPH, Armadale Hospital, Kalamunda Hospital, Bentley Hospital, SJGMPH and community services, which were brought together when EMHS was established as a board-governed statutory authority in July 2016. Each of these sites are still celebrating their own rich histories of service to the community.

The new developments also follow last year’s expansion of EMHS’ state-of-the-art East CareConnect virtual services, which were created to harness technology to take hospital quality care into people’s homes and communities.

Looking ahead, the EMHS 2036 Strategic Direction frames a picture of:

person-centred services designed with and for people
an optimised and engaged workforce
sustainable high-value health care
a service that is digitally driven and cyber aware
transformation through innovation and research
modern, integrated high-performing models of care.

Around the board table there have been many new members including Clare Grieveson, Kane Blackman, Dr Cathy Nottage and Dr Glenn Murray. Although Board members come in and out, there is one who deserves high praise, and that is Dr Denise Glennon. Denise has served on the Board since July 2017 and has set high standards for patient experience and clinical excellence, as well as acting as Deputy Chair and Chair at times too. On behalf of everyone at EMHS, and as your time comes to an end, thank you Denise for your service at EMHS.

During this reporting period, EMHS also acknowledges the contribution of Dr Lesley Bennett as Chief Executive (CE), plus Acting CE Philip Aylward, and welcomes back former EMHS team member Joel Gurr into the substantive CE position. As Joel beds down succinctly in his role this year, the Board looks forward to committing with more clarity, sharpness and speed, to strategic priorities which will have the greatest impact, obligating to financial stewardship, and adding new value, to the people we serve.

On behalf of the EMHS Board, we extend our thanks to the EMHS executive team, clinicians, staff, government partners and community stakeholders for their contributions this year – with often fun personalities even among heavy or constrained moments. Board members also commit to their EMHS roles with discipline and accountability, and a serve of positivity.

While team members appreciate EMHS is in touching distance of a once-in-a-generation investment in built form, it’s the caring and creative EMHS people who will deliver upon today’s needs, as well as continue to evolve, innovate, challenge and deliver exceptional care for the future.

Ngala werda koorliny, koort–dan.

We go forward together, with heart − to keep our communities well.

Regards all,

Sally Carbon OAM
Board Chair