Greater Western Area Health Service has amalgamated the Health Service Manager (HSM) positions at Parkes and Forbes Hospitals.
The move follows approval from the NSW Nurses’ Association to change the management structure at a number of Greater Western AHS sites.
Andrew Newton, HSM of Forbes Hospital, will now manage both Parkes and Forbes.
Former Parkes Health Service Georgina Dunham has resigned from the organisation.
Acting Southern Cluster General Manger, Pamela Gulbis has thanked Ms Dunham for her 24 years of service to the Parkes Health Service.
“On behalf of all the staff and the senior executive at Greater Western AHS I wish Georgina all the very best in her pursuits outside of the health system,” Ms Gulbis said.
The change in management became effective on Monday, 15 June 2009.
Greater Western has given the Association a commitment to adhere to the award requirements for reasonable workloads for nurses, and the maintenance of high quality patient care remains the priority for the health service.
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End of
impressive
career
The appointment of Andrew Newton to the management position of both Parkes and Forbes represents the highlight of a career that saw him start out as a trainee nurse at Sunderland General Hospital in the north of England in 1988.
At the same time is brings down the curtain on the impressive 43-year professional career of Georgina Dunham.
Like her successor, Mrs Dunham also started out in nursing at the grass-roots level. The year was 1966 and the hospital was the Princess Alexandra in Brisbane.
It was to be the start of what Mrs Dunham yesterday described as `a very satisfying and varied career.’
“During the past 43 years I have had the privilege of working under several different management structures both in NSW and interstate. But the most remarkable aspect of my time in the health profession has been the changes in technology,” Mrs Dunham said.
“Today, the health profession is all about new knowledge and the technological advances in health. It’s what makes your career choice so challenging yet so satisfying.”
Mrs Dunham’s first management appointment came about in 1977 when she took on the role of Matron at the Forsyth Hospital in the Gulf of Carpenteria.
In 1985 she replaced Barbara Cooper as Director of Nursing at the Parkes District Hospital – a position she retained until tendering her resignation last Friday.
Today is Mrs Dunham’s last day on the job and already she and husband Larry are planning a winter’s sojourn to North Queensland.
“We have no plans at this stage to leave Parkes, we both love it here, but we also enjoy travelling and this will be foremost in our minds as we reassess our future,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr Newton yesterday acknowledged the effort of Mrs Dunham.
“Through your newspaper I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Georgina on her commitment to her chosen profession over four decades,” he said.
“I wish her well for the future and I now look forward to working with the highly skilled staff and doctors at Parkes and Forbes Health Services to ensure delivery of high quality health services to both communities.
“My main task during the initial phase of this joint management role will be to foster a strong and cordial relationship between both services.”
Mr Newton said the merger of the HSM role had no bearing whatsoever on the proposed new hospitals for Parkes and Forbes.
“This appointment is a different issue altogether. The amalgamation of the HSM position was always part of the Clinical Service Plan for the proposed redevelopment of the services in Parkes and Forbes.
“With the relationship between the two services already very functional it was a natural progression to bring both services under the one manager,” Mr Newton said.
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