AHPRA Senior National Management Team
The Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA), which supports the National Boards in protecting the public, started work in earnest on 1 July 2010. AHPRA was established under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law Act (the National Law) as in force in each State and Territory to implement the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme.
Martin Fletcher, Chief Executive Officer began with AHPRA in December 2009 as the inaugural Chief Executive Officer. With more than 10 years experience in patient safety in Australia, the United Kingdom and internationally, he brings strong expertise in public protection and quality improvement to the work of establishing and leading AHPRA. Before joining AHPRA, Martin was Chief Executive of the National Patient Safety Agency, the leading National Health Service body for patient safety in England and Wales. From 2004 to 2007 Martin worked with the World Health Organisation in Geneva to establish a global programme of work on patient safety. From 2000 to 2002, he worked with the Australian Council for Safety and Quality in Health care to establish the first national program of work on patient safety in Australia. Martin holds a Master of Management degree in public sector management, an Honours degree in behavioural sciences and an undergraduate degree in social studies.
Chris Robertson, Director National Board Services has more than 10 years of expertise in health policy and legislation, workforce planning and innovation. He was appointed to his current role at AHPRA in January 2010. Previously, Chris served as the National Director Policy and Legislation, National Registration and Accreditation Implementation Project (NRAIP), Australian Health Ministers Advisory Council. One of the key accomplishments in this role was the development and subsequent enactment of the first and second stages of the national law hosted by Queensland and now in force in every State and Territory. Chris is a proven relationship builder and advisor in the complex environment of Health Ministers, Advisory Councils, government bodies, public agencies and key stakeholders. He holds a Graduate Certificate of Health Management from the Queensland University of Technology and a Bachelor of Commerce from Griffith University. He was previously a Registered Nurse working in critical care and holds a Diploma of Applied Science Nursing from Monash University.
John Ilott, Director of Finance and Corporate Operations comes to AHPRA with more than 30 years of experience as a senior executive of hospitals, pathology practice, professional associations in both the public and private health sectors. Prior to his current role at AHPRA he was General Manager, Victoria for St John of God Pathology and Chief Executive Officer of the Victorian Branch of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia. His hospital experience includes an executive role with the Women’s and Children’s Network in Melbourne and Chief Executive Officer of Wangaratta Base Hospital. He also served as Chief Executive Officer in several private hospitals in Queensland between 1978 and 1997. In all these roles, John improved both the quality and profitability of the organisations through his approach to working with all staff and external stakeholders in gaining a common understanding of the organisations’ goals. John holds a Master of Arts by research from the Faculty of Law and Management, La Trobe University. His research topic was: An exploratory study of Agency and Stewardship styles of corporate behaviour. He also holds an undergraduate degree in business. He is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants.
Jim O’Dempsey, National Director Business Improvement and Innovation has more than 20 years of experience in clinical practice and health management. Appointed to his current role in February 2011, Jim joined AHPRA as State Manager, Queensland on 1 February 2010. Jim is a qualified nurse whose background of 13 years’ clinical practice in psychiatry and oncology culminated in appointment as nurse manager of Queensland’s largest psychiatric hospital at Wolston Park. In April 1993, he was recruited to establish and lead the Queensland Nursing Council, an independent statutory body responsible for the regulation of nursing and midwifery in Queensland. In March 2002, Jim was enlisted to be the CEO of the Office of Health Practitioner Registration Boards, a statutory authority that provided advice and service to thirteen health practitioner registration Boards which register suitably qualified health practitioners for safe and competent health service delivery to the public. Jim holds a Psychiatric Nursing Certificate (Baillie Henderson Hospital, Toowoomba) and a General Nursing Certificate (Repatriation General Hospital, Greenslopes).
Dominique Saunders, General Counsel, has more than twenty years’ experience in the community, public and private sectors. She is an accomplished legal practitioner with many years’ experience both as a solicitor principal and as a government lawyer. Combining this with her training as a social worker, Dominique is well-respected in her profession, with wide experience in the law and with particular expertise in human rights, health, mental health, disability and discrimination law. Before joining AHPRA, Dominique was Corporate Counsel, Executive Director at Western Health. Other previous positions include Special Counsel with Russell Kennedy Solicitors from 2002 to 2008 and positions with Disability Services and Mental Health Services, the Equal Opportunity Commission of Victoria and the Mental Health Legal Centre. She sits as a presiding member of the Mental Health Review Board, is a past Council member and a Director of the Law Institute of Victoria, a member of the Ethics Committee, Law Institute of Victoria, a member of Australian New Zealand Psychiatry Psychology and Law (ANZAPPL), a member of the Australian Institute of Judicial Administration, Chair, Medico-Legal Committee, AMA/LIV and was previously a Director, PILCH Board and on the Board of Management, Moreland Hall. Dominique holds a bachelor of Bachelor of Social Work and a Bachelor of Laws. She is admitted to the High Court of Australia and the Supreme Court of Victoria.
State Managers
Anne Morrison, State Manager Queensland has more than 20 years of experience in the nursing and midwifery profession, beginning as a registered nurse and midwife in Scotland. Before taking on the State Manager Queensland role, Anne was Executive Officer for the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia, with a key role in supporting the National Board in meeting its legislative functions. Before joining AHPRA, Anne worked in Geneva as a consultant on nursing and health policy for the International Council of Nurses (ICN) where she was responsible for the development and management of ICN’s Regulation Programme. Anne was the Executive Officer of the Queensland Nursing Council for five years, having joined the QNC in 1991. From 2004 to 2007, Anne was the Chairperson of the previous Australian and Nursing Midwifery Council (ANMC). Anne holds a Master of Business Administration (Queensland University of Technology), a Graduate Diploma in Management (QUT), a Bachelor of Educational Studies (University Of Queensland) and a Bachelor of Science (with Nursing), Dundee College of Technology, Scotland.
Bob Bradford, State Manager Australian Capital Territory joined AHPRA after eight years as Chief Executive Officer of the ACT Medical Board. Bob’s background is managing regulatory activities within the health environment and, previously, military logistics including support to deployments. In his capacity as ACT State Manager, Bob has been responsible for transferring the operations of the 10 ACT health professions Boards, establishing the AHPRA ACT office on commencement of the National Law in July 2010 including the transfer of ACT health staff, assisting in managing the 2010 national renewal of medical practitioners and redeveloping the AHPRA legal services framework. Bob is a member of the AHPRA Enterprise Bargaining Steering Group, the Legal Services Project, the Renewal Steering Committee and AHPRA’s Executive Management Group. Bob holds a BA (Mil) (UNSW), a MSc (Def Stud) (Madras) and a Grad Dip Strategic Studies.
Richard Mullaly, State Manager Victoria has been with AHPRA since February 2010. Before joining AHPRA, he was, for two years, CEO of the Medical Practitioners Board of Victoria and, before that the General Manager of the Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne. He has extensive management and clinical experience in Victoria’s public health system, was Acting CEO of the Dental Health Services Victoria and spent 20 years at the Royal Children’s Hospital as the Director of Perfusion Services in the Cardiac Surgery Unit. Richard leads a team of more than 130 staff supporting the 10 national health practitioner Boards in their core role of registering and regulating the members of the 10 professions. With more than 500,000 regulated practitioners throughout Australia, Victoria is home to more than 130,000 practitioners. Richard holds a MBA from Monash University and a B.Sc (Hons), also from Monash.
Lisa Wardlaw-Kelly, State Manager Tasmania came to AHPRA from her role as Tasmanian Regional Director with the Australian Bureau of Statistics and has a strong interest in evidence based policy and the use of data to improve decision-making. Lisa was previously the State Manager with the Department of Health and Ageing, delivering Australian Government programs including aged and community care, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health, population health, rural health and primary care. Before this position, Lisa spent 10 years in health policy and regulation, including leading national evidence-based strategies for clinical improvement, the health priority areas of diabetes and cardiovascular disease; management of the Australian Government’s health portal, HealthInsite; and the national cervical cancer screening program. Lisa’s academic qualifications include a Certificate of Enrolled Nursing from Canberra Hospital School of Nursing, a Bachelor of Arts (honours) from Australian National University, a Graduate Certificate in Public Administration and a Master of Public Health from La Trobe University.
Robyn Collins, State Manager Western Australia has many years of experience in senior health care management positions. Most recently, she was Chief Executive Officer and Registrar of the Nurses and Midwives Board of Western Australia. Robyn is an inaugural member of the School of Nursing & Midwifery Board at Curtin University of Technology. In recognition of her leadership skills, Robyn was awarded an Adjunct Associate Professor Award by Curtin University for leadership in Nursing and Midwifery, and in 2008 she received the Women's Hospitals Australasia Medal of Distinction.
Jill Huck, State Manager Northern Territory came to AHPRA from the Northern Territory’s Health Professions Licensing Authority where she was Director for five years and the Registrar of eleven health practitioner registration boards and the Health Professionals Review Tribunal. Jill continues to be the Registrar for the Northern Territory Boards regulating occupational therapists, Aboriginal health workers and radiographers - three professions scheduled to join the National Scheme in 2012 – as well as a Community Member for both the NT Mental Health Review Tribunal and the NT Parole Board. Jill has extensive experience working with programs in key health and welfare areas, including mental health, human research ethics, social security, human rights and equal opportunity and has held academic posts at numerous institutions, including Central Queensland University, Northern Territory University and Monash University. Jill’s qualifications include a Bachelor of Social Work (Hons) from University of NSW and a Master of Social Policy (Class 1) from James Cook University.
Kym Ayscough, State Manager New South Wales came to AHPRA in March 2010 after 7 years as CEO and Registrar of the Pharmacy Board of New South Wales. Kym is a solicitor with more than 12 years experience in professional regulation in the legal and health sectors. She also has almost 15 years experience in public sector administration primarily in the areas of employment, education and training. As the model of national regulation is somewhat different in New South Wales, Kym works in strong partnership with the co-regulatory agencies in that State; the Health Care Complaints Commission and the Health Professional Councils Authority. Kym holds Bachelor of Laws and Masters of Law and Management degrees.
Diana Newcombe, State Manager South Australia joined AHPRA in September 2011. Diana has more than 15 years of diverse management and legal experience in both Australia and the United Kingdom. She has a strong background in medical and administrative law and investigative expertise with the Commonwealth Ombudsman. Diana’s experience in the United Kingdom included regulatory compliance and corporate and clinical governance in health care settings as well as major organisational reviews with an international legal firm. During this time, she also advised clients on regulatory compliance programs. Diana holds a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Laws and Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice from the Australian National University.