New chairman, deputy for clinical leadership group

A group of health professionals guiding the clinical direction of the new Dunedin Hospital has two new faces at the helm.

Outgoing clinical leadership group chairman Dr David Perez has been replaced by a two-person team with the introduction of a deputy chair role.

Dr John Adams, Associate Dean of student affairs at Otago Medical School, has been formally announced as the new chairman and Dr Carol Atmore, a Dunedin general practitioner and health services researcher, as deputy chairwoman.

Southern District Health Board chief executive Chris Fleming said he was delighted to welcome Dr Adams and Dr Atmore to their new roles.

"It's not easy finding people with the necessary mix of skill, clinical expertise and experience to lead such an important group as the clinical leadership group.

"There is a huge amount of work ahead to progress the new hospital and the [group] will play a vital role in setting the clinical direction and making sure it aligns with the wider changes happening across the Southern health system,'' he said

Established in September 2016, the clinical leadership groups provides advice and recommendations to the board and the Southern Partnership Group, which is planning the hospital.

It has produced papers on topics including the digital hospital, generalism and the future of elderly care.

Dr Adams, a psychiatrist who studied medicine in Dunedin, said he was excited by the task ahead.

"I'm really excited about the possibility of contributing to a once in a generation opportunity.

"Spending this amount of money we need to make sure we're doing it in the right sort of way and that clinicians' voices are heard.''

Dr Atmore, who has experience in hospital rebuilds and health system redesign, is the current chair of the Alliance Leadership Team of Alliance South which is overseeing the implementation of the primary and community care strategy in the board's area.

Her appointment linked the work of Alliance South and the clinical leadership group, helping bolster the focus on aligning the new hospital with the wider southern health system, Mr Fleming said.

"The success of the New Dunedin Hospital is closely linked to the successful implementation of the primary and community care strategy so I am pleased to be in a position to contribute to both,'' Dr Atmore said.

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