Overview about the agency (FUNLHN Annual Report 2020-21)

Our strategic focus

Our Purpose

The Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network delivers culturally safe and high-quality health care services in collaboration with our consumers, enhanced through research and innovation to improve health outcomes for our communities.

Our Vision

Excellence in healthcare for everyone, every day, all the time.

Our Values

  • Integrity
  • Respect 
  • Compassion
  • Engage
  • Courage

Our functions, objectives and deliverables

Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network provides a range of public acute, residential aged care, community health and mental health services to country-based South Australians.

Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network’s objectives and deliverables are:

Sustainability: In Services | Workforce | Financial

We access resources to build an organisation, that incorporates the best of the present and embraces innovation.

Finance

We manage a viable and sustainable funding base that is flexible and responsive to deliver safe quality services that enhances the wellbeing of our consumers and the development of our people.

Consumer Focus

We enhance the safety and quality of our services by partnering with consumers in their own care. Our services meet the needs of our communities because we provide opportunities for consumers to partner in the design and evaluation of our services.

Aboriginal Health

We build trust, positive and effective partnerships to enable Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander peoples in the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network to enjoy the same health outcomes and life expectancy as all other Australians.

People

We acknowledge, grow and invest in our people to achieve best service delivery outcomes.

Equity

We deliver access to care, for every person, in every community, to meet their unique needs.

Quality and Safety

Every employee in the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network is committed to the delivery of safe health care through the provision of systems, processes and resources to ensure that our people can provide a high standard of safe quality care to all.

Innovation

We empower our people to embrace new technology, work practices and ideas by fostering curiosity and creativity to meet the evolving needs of our community.

Our organisational structure

Changes to the agency

During 2020-21 there were no changes to the agency’s structure and objectives as a result of internal reviews or machinery of government changes.

Our Minister

The Hon Stephen Wade MLC MP is the Minister for Health and Wellbeing in South Australia. The Minister oversees the Health, Wellbeing, Mental health, Ageing well, Substance abuse and Suicide Prevention.

Our Executive Team

Craig Packard, Chief Executive Officer, is accountable to the Governing Board for the provision, management and administration of health services and achieving the overall performance of the public health system for the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network.

Angela McLachlan, Executive Director Nursing and Midwifery, responsible for the delivery of Nursing and Midwifery professional services across the Local Health Network. Angela also leads the Quality, Risk and Safety Team and is Chair of the Operational Clinical Governance Committee.

Dr Nes Lian-Lloyd, Executive Director Medical Services, responsible for ensuring clinical governance for the delivery of safe, high quality medical care. Oversight and coordination of medical staff and medical service contracts in the Local Health Network, including oversight of recruitment and orientation of new Medical Officers.

Cheryl Russ, Executive Director Community and Allied Health, responsible for the efficient and effective management of the Community Health Services resulting in the provision of a range of community and hospital based health services responsive to the identified needs of the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network.

Trevor Byles, Director Corporate Services, responsible for managing, developing, coordinating and monitoring significant very high-level quality and critical, corporate and business services that support the effective operation of health units across the Local Health Network.

Belinda Johnson, Director People and Culture, responsible for leading and managing the delivery of best practice human resources services within a business partnering framework, implementing proactive workforce strategies and interventions within services across the Local Health Network in order to drive continuous improvement, performance and accountability of workforce goals and objectives.

Lisa Taylor AAICD, Director Governance and Performance, responsible for leading the provision of high quality and timely support to the Chief Executive Officer and executive support to the Board of management to support a focus on performance and effectiveness.

Glenise Coulthard AM, Director Aboriginal Health is responsible to the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network Chief Executive Officer in initiating, planning, implementing, coordinating and delivering Aboriginal Health programs across the region and providing high-level strategic leadership in expanding concepts and programs throughout.

Bridgette Rau, Chief Finance Officer, responsible for leading the provision of comprehensive financial services across the region by contributing to the leadership, performance and financial strategic direction of the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network.

David West, Director of Mental Health Services, responsible for the delivery of mental health services within the Local Health Network, and complex mental health reform projects in line with state-wide directions in collaboration with the Rural and Remote Mental Health Service.

Our Governing Board

Mark Whitfield, Chairperson of the Governing Board.

Mark Whitfield is currently Presiding Member Eyre Peninsula Landscape Board, Director NRM Regions Australia Ltd and formerly Chair of the Whyalla Special Education Centre. Until recently, Mark was Executive Manager of the Spencer Gulf Rural Health School. He has previously worked in other roles in regional development, health and education in Whyalla and on Eyre Peninsula and in the Far North of the State and in local government.

He has also previously held Board roles as Chairman Lifeline Country to Coast SA Inc., Chairman D'faces of Youth Arts Inc. and President Riding for the Disabled Whyalla, and Executive Member Riding for the Disabled SA. Mark is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and an Associate Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management. Mark has lived in Whyalla since 2001. He has a strong record of volunteering on a variety of community organisation Boards.

Garnett Brady PSM, Director of the Governing Board.

Garnett Brady is an Adnyamathanha/Yankunytjatjara man from Port Augusta with significant experience in health and community services across the region. Most recently he was founder / owner and manager of Flinders Crest Services Incorporated, a labour hire business employing Aboriginal people through labour hire arrangements with contractors on the BHP Olympic Dam mine site at Roxby Downs, finishing in the role in 2015.

Garnett had previously been employed as Community Manager Bungala Aboriginal Corporation at Ernabella and Fregon Communities in the APY Lands, Manager Aboriginal Health Unit, Port Augusta Hospital and Far Northern Regional Health Services, Social Worker, Department of Family and Community Services and CEO Pika Wiya Health Service.

He has also previously served on the Boards of Pika Wiya Health Service and the Port Augusta Hospital Inc. Garnett brings significant experience in Aboriginal Health to the Governing Board.

John Lynch OAM, Director of the Governing Board.

John Lynch served with the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) for 32 years and was the Chief Executive Officer of RFDS Central Operations, finishing in December 2018. John initially joined the RFDS at its Broken Hill Base as an Accountant in 1986. He was appointed Chief Finance Officer of RFDS Central Operations serving SA and NT in 1991 and assumed the position of Chief Executive Officer in December 2000 and served in this role for 18 years.

John possesses outstanding business acumen and financial management skills and oversaw unprecedented growth and financial security of the organisation. John holds a Bachelor of Health Science Management, is a Fellow of the National Institute of Public Accountants, an Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Executives and a Member of the Australian institute of Company Directors.

John brings finance and governance experience along with rural and remote primary health care practice experience to the Governing Board.

Suzy Graham, Director of the Governing Board.

Suzy Graham holds Bachelor degrees in Arts and Laws, and has worked as a lawyer since 1999. Since 2005 Suzy has been self-employed, initially with her practice Adelaide Family Law in Adelaide, before relocating and establishing Spencer Gulf Law in Port Augusta in 2007. Within her legal practice, Suzy provides advice and representation in criminal matters, family law, wills and estates, conveyancing, commercial transactions, youth justice, child protection and advises in a range of other areas.

Suzy is an active member of the Port Augusta community, volunteering across a number of associations. Suzy is an Executive Board Member of Business Port Augusta, Committee member, Country Practitioners’ Committee, Law Society of SA and Business Representative on the committee of the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden.

Suzy has well established relationships with a number of government and non-government entities within the Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network. Suzy brings legal expertise, business experience and broad local community knowledge to the Governing Board. Suzy is board member, Audit and Risk Committee of the Governing Board.

Karyn Reid, Director of the Governing Board.

Karyn Reid is currently a private consultant undertaking complex community consultation and mixed method evaluations to a range of health, community and local government organisations.

Previously a General Registered Nurse working across multiple clinical fields, she has held the positions of Community Health Manager, Port Augusta Hospital and Regional Health Service Inc., and CEO of the Coober Pedy Hospital. She has also been employed as the Director of Nursing of a 50 bed Residential Aged Care facility, Project Facilitator and Evaluator for multiple community Alcohol Management Plans, Consultant CEO Flinders and Far North Division of General Practice Inc, and Consultant Manager, Community Mental Health Team, Port Augusta Hospital and Regional Health Service Inc,

Karyn has a keen interest in health consumer participation and experience as a consumer and community advocate. She was Presiding Member, Port Augusta, Roxby Downs and Woomera Health Advisory Council, for five years until May 2019; and the country consumer representative for the Country Health SA Clinical Governance Committee for two years until May 2019.

She has held professional memberships of the South Australian Directors of Nursing Association, the Australian Nurses Federation, the Infection Control Association of SA and the Sterilizing Technology Association of SA.

Karyn brings health practitioner and rural health management experience to the Governing Board. She is currently the Chair, Consumer and Community Engagement Committee of the Board; and board member, Clinical Governance Committee of the Board.

Geri Malone, Director of the Governing Board.

Geri Malone has had a career with a very strong focus on rural and remote health ranging from clinical roles, management, education and professional development to policy and advocacy.

Her expertise lies in the remote and rural health context. Key areas include but are not limited to workforce issues, recruitment and retention, professional development needs, support of the workforce to meet professional standards to deliver health services in the unique models of care, and development and implementation of robust Clinical Governance frameworks to ensure safe quality services, models of service delivery that meet that needs of communities.

Geri has policy and advocacy experience at national level, experience on numerous advisory and working groups, and extensive experience in stakeholder engagement and building collaborative relationships. She is currently a Board member of Resthaven Inc, and Royal Flying Doctor Service Central Operations and has previously been a Board member and Chair of the National Rural Health Alliance and a Board member of the National Rural Women’s Coalition and CRANAplus. Geri is a Registered Nurse and Midwife, with a Graduate Certificate in Remote Health Practice and a Masters of Public Health. Geri is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. She brings rural and remote health service delivery and clinical governance experience to the Governing Board.

Legislation administered by the agency

Nil

Legislation administered by the agency

  • Department for Health and Wellbeing
  • Barossa Hills Fleurieu Local Health Network Inc.
  • Central Adelaide Local Health Network Inc.
  • Commission on Excellence and Innovation in Health
  • Eyre and Far North Local Health Network Inc.
  • Hawker District Memorial Health Advisory Council
  • Leigh Creek Health Advisory Council
  • Limestone Coast Local Health Network Inc.
  • Northern Adelaide Local Health Network Inc.
  • Office for Aging Well
  • Port Augusta, Roxby Downs, Woomera Health Advisory Council
  • Quorn Health Services Health Advisory Council
  • Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network Inc.
  • South Australian Ambulance Service
  • Southern Adelaide Local Health Network Inc.
  • Wellbeing SA
  • Whyalla Hospital and Health Services Health Advisory Council Women’s and Children’s Health Network Inc.
  • Yorke and Northern Local Health Network Inc.