Well-known Perth doctor Shirley Bowen is WA’s new Director-General of Health.
Currently chief executive of the North Metropolitan Health Service, Dr Bowen has worked in leadership roles across both public and private health services and will take up the position of Health DG next month.
Dr Bowen also holds dual fellowships in infectious diseases and sexual health medicine and has wide experience as a clinician.
Her past appointments include CEO of St John of God Subiaco Hospital, Chief Medical Officer of the Australian Capital Territory, Executive Director of Fremantle Hospital and Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Notre Dame.
“My passion for person-centred care has inspired me every day of my medical career, I remain very motivated by the fact that excellent healthcare should be available to everyone. I have learnt a great deal in the private health sector and hope to bring some of that customer focus to our patient experience,” Dr Bowen said.
WA Health is the biggest public sector agency in the State, with a Budget of $12 billion and workforce of more than 57,000 staff.
WA Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson said Dr Bowen would lead WA Health at a “really important time of reform for our public health system.”
“She will oversee multibillion-dollar investment in infrastructure in our public health system, including the new $1.8 billion Women and Babies Hospital at Murdoch.
“Reducing ramping hours and increasing elective surgery will continue to a be a key focus.”
Dr Michael Page, president of the AMA (WA), said collaboration with private healthcare was needed to prevent the ballooning of costs and wait times for State-funded healthcare.
“We have a large, complex, dynamic private sector that includes nearly all primary care delivered by general practitioners, and other specialists providing a huge amount of outpatient and inpatient care, pathology, radiology, and much more,” he said.
“Whilst any patient can choose between public and private care, we live in a society that regards access to healthcare as a universal right; therefore, the public system has an obligation to provide care at no charge, in just about any geographic location.
“It is therefore, in essence, the ‘default’ provider, at least of hospital-based care.
“I would encourage the new Director General to take a holistic view of healthcare delivery in WA. All Western Australians are, by default, patients of WA Health, but most care can be delivered privately, and the more that is, the more protected State infrastructure will be from being overwhelmed as demand increases.”