Role Call: People on the move and gaining recognition in the health sector

Craig King, a specialist GP at Health New Lynn and a west Auckland GP since 1990, is the new chair of ProCare. The Auckland regional PHO says Harley Aish has stepped down after eight years in the role on the cooperative board. Dr Aish, who is a specialist GP at Otara Family & Christian Health Centre in south Auckland, is staying on the board until November. Dr King has been a board member for seven years.

Te Aka Whai Ora appointed Jade Sewell (Ngāti Maru, Te Arawa, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Porou) as deputy chief executive – service development and relations. The role includes commissioning te ao Māori solutions and has a focus on primary and community care, oranga hinengaro (mental wellbeing), and hospital and specialist services. Ms Sewell has been director of operations at the former Waikato DHB, supporting district leadership in the COVID-19 response, and last year assisted at the interim Māori Health Authority. Two other deputy chief executives have been named. They are Kingi Kiriona (Ngāti Ruanui, Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Apa), for mātauranga Māori and Craig Owen, for governance and advisory. Mr Kiriona has more than 15 years’ experience in developing te ao Māori-focused programmes and in senior leadership and governance. Mr Owen formerly was deputy secretary at Te Puni Kōkiri.

Mike Grant has replaced Chiquita Hansen – chief executive at MidCentral PHO THINK Hauora since 2013 – in an interim capacity. Ms Hansen starts on 14 February at Te Whatu Ora Te Waipounamu (South Island) as regional wayfinder. She has lately been seconded from the PHO to work part time to Te Whatu Ora as co-director primary, community and rural early actions. Her background is nursing leadership. Mr Grant had 23 years’ experience at the then Tairāwhiti, Taranaki and MidCentral DHBs and was the latter’s chief executive from 2009 to 2016.

Te Whatu Ora is getting the Whakarongorau Aotearoa / New Zealand Telehealth Services chief executive as its chief people officer in April. Andrew Slater recently completed a part-time secondment with Te Whatu Ora, providing transformation advice and support. Mr Slater was Whakarongorau’s founding boss in 2013 and has led a period of rapid growth. He held senior management roles with St John for nearly 10 years and has worked in health for 20 years.

Te Whatu Ora has a chief of staff, Peter Alsop, who most recently was director of engagement & implementation at Pharmac. Mr Alsop is responsible for coordinating chief executive Fepulea’I Margie Apa’s responsibilities across the organisation, including ensuring it follows the board’s direction and meets government expectations. He has oversight of decision-making, compliance and strategic engagement with the health sector. In a media release, Ms Apa says he brings a strong focus on partnership with Te Aka Whai Ora, the Ministry of Health and other sector stakeholders.

Newly promoted to professor, Garry Nixon is a rural hospital medicine and general practice specialist who focuses on health outcomes and improving health services for rural communities like his own at Dunstan in Central Otago. The University of Otago associate dean rural, in the Division of Health Sciences, has researched point-of-care diagnostic technologies. Recently, Professor Nixon led researchers developing and validating an urban rural classification for health; they use it to compare urban and rural health outcomes and access to services.

Medical anthropologist Chrystal Jaye, a member of the department of general practice and rural health in the Dunedin School of Medicine at the University of Otago for more than 20 years, has been promoted to professor. Professor Jaye has served as associate dean (postgraduate) for the Division of Health Sciences since 2020. Her research interests span teaching and learning in clinical settings, primary healthcare, health and wellbeing, spirituality, rural health and ageing. Professor Jaye’s recent research has looked at health and wellbeing of those living in small rural communities.

Former pharmacist Danny Wu has started as interim regional wayfinder for Te Whatu Ora northern region. Mr Wu has worked in health strategic planning, change management and clinical service improvement; planning and funding; and in provider roles in former DHBs. He was primary care national programme manager at the Ministry of Health between 2008 and 2011. Nicola Ehau (Ngāti Porou), who has a nursing and health management background, begins on 7 February as regional wayfinder for Te Manawa Taki (Waikato, Lakes, Bay of Plenty, Tairāwhiti, Taranaki). Tricia Keelan (Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Kahungunu, Te Aupouri, Rongomaiwahine), is regional wayfinder for Central (MidCentral, Whanganui, Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley, Te Mata a Māui Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa). Ms Keelan is general manager monitoring systems and transformation at Te Aka Whai Ora and previously co-led the Human Rights Commission.