Primary Health Alliance appoints new Chief Executive Officer

The Primary Health Alliance (the Alliance), whose purpose includes promoting primary and community health through integrated multi-agency and multi-professional partnerships, has today announced the appointment of Sharron Harris as its new Chief Executive Officer.

Confirming the appointment, Dr Angus Chambers, Chair of the Alliance, said “On behalf of the Executive Committee and Members of the Alliance, I am delighted that we have been able to secure a new CEO of Sharron’s calibre. Her expertise and working knowledge across so many parts of New Zealand’s primary health sector will be a significant asset for the Alliance and its broad membership base.”

Sharron (pictured) has a primary health care career spanning two decades and which includes direct working experience within PHOs, DHBs and General Practices.

Sharron has provided business support to both private and corporately owned medical facilities throughout the country as well as having been a RNZCGP Cornerstone Assessor for 17 years.

Sharron acknowledged the long standing and multi-professional strength of the Alliance and is looking forward to working with its wide range of members. “I am thrilled to have been offered the opportunity to lead the Primary Health Alliance. An established and credible organisation with an impressive membership that is collectively stronger than the sum of its parts. It is great to see such a membership organisation having a greater altruistic focus on the health of the country’s population.

“I am looking forward to supporting the on-going agenda with the Alliance members and continuing the impressive impact the organisation has had over recent years” she said.

Dr Angus Chambers thanked the outgoing Chief Executive Officer, Philip Grant, saying “Philip has been in post for 6 years and has made an outstanding contribution. During that time, working with successive Executive Committees, our previous Chair [John Ayling] and myself, I believe the Alliance has become a significant influencer across the national landscape of primary health whilst also providing a valuable range of additional services for our growing membership. I am of course disappointed to see him leave but wish him well for his exciting new assignment in Fiji.”

Background:

• The Primary Health Alliance was established [as the PHO Alliance] in 2006 and was re-named in 2016 to recognise the multi-professional and multi-agency approach which will be needed to address the future health challenges across New Zealand.

• The multi-professional, growing membership of the Primary Health Alliance includes allied health, pharmacy, midwifery, ambulance services, NGOs and PHOs comprising General Practices providing services to over 1 million New Zealanders in some of the most challenging localities from Cape Reinga to Bluff.

• The Primary Health Alliance has a strong focus on equity and improving outcomes.

• Over the last five years, the Primary Health Alliance’s membership and national standing has increased significantly. The Alliance is now one of the most widely recognised national bodies working on behalf of the primary health sector.

• The Primary Health Alliance has much to be proud of and its achievements include:

- Re-focusing and re-branding to become the Primary Health Alliance in recognition of the integrated, sector-wide, multi-professional approach required to address New Zealand’s health challenges

- Producing and publishing its series of high profile discussion papers, including:

•  A time to act: 7 actions which will help sustain the New Zealand health service for future generations (February 2015)
•  Targeting Resources: Strengthening New Zealand’s primary care capitation funding formula (December 2015)
•  One team, many businesses: Supporting delivery of the 2016 New Zealand Health Strategy (June 2017)

• Significantly increasing its membership base and strengthening its financial position whilst maintaining membership subscription levies at 2013/14 levels

• Co-hosting successive annual Primary Health Symposia with its strategic partners the Heart Foundation and the Health Promotion Agency, supporting the sharing of good practice for approximately 200 delegates from across primary health attending free-of-charge each year

• Undertaking an increasingly high profile national role including input to national reviews, expert panels and specific negotiation on behalf of PHO members at the PHO Services Agreement Amendment group (PSAAP)

• Significantly influencing and advancing the priority of sector unity, with a major contribution and commitment to the creation of the Federation of Primary Health Aotearoa New Zealand, of which it is a founding member.

• Sharron Harris will commence in post at the start of June 2019 and will be replacing Philip Grant who has been Chief Executive Officer of the Primary Health Alliance (and its predecessor organisation, the PHO Alliance) for over 6 years.

• Philip is leaving the Alliance to take up a contract position as Health Systems Program Manager for the Australian Government’s Fiji Program Support Facility based in Suva.

• Further information regarding the Primary Health Alliance is available on the Alliance website at www.primaryhealth.org.nz.