The ACT Health System Council, the ACT Government’s expanded advisory body to improve the public health system and deliver better care for Canberrans, met for the first time on Wednesday.

“The ACT Health System Council will provide strategic advice on a range of important topics to help our health system remain sustainable and meet the needs of our growing community,” ACT health minister Rachel Stephen-Smith said.

The ACT Health System Council will advise on matters referred by the health minister; the Minister for Mental Health, Emma Davidson; the ACT Health Directorate; and Canberra Health Services.

“The council shares the ACT Government’s strong commitment to ensuring Canberrans have access to high-quality, person-centred care through our public health system now and into the future,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.

The council will advise on service planning, design and integration, address workforce challenges, and support safety and quality in healthcare.

It will build on the successes of the ACT Health and Wellbeing Partnership Board by expanding membership to include representatives from the community sector, industrial representatives, and health system experts from Australia and internationally.

It is led by independent chair Dr Nigel Lyons, who has more than 35 years’ experience in the NSW health system as a clinician, manager, and executive. Dr Lyons was responsible for strategic health policy development, interjurisdictional negotiations, funding strategies, and system-wide planning of health services, including mental health.

“I’m excited about the opportunity to progress the good work undertaken already in the ACT health system,” Dr Lyons said.

“I’m looking forward to working with council members to provide expert advice to Ministers on the health services needed for the future and how better integration between services can improve the effectiveness of the health system.”

He will work alongside 13 other members:

• Rebecca Cross, Director-General, ACT Health Directorate
• Dave Peffer, CEO, Canberra Health Services
• Dr Elaine Pretorius, General Manager of North Canberra Hospital and Chair of ACT Health Clinical Systems Governance Committee
• Professor Russell Gruen, Dean of the College of Health and Medicine, Australian National University
• Professor Michelle Lincoln, Deputy Vice Chancellor Academic and Vice President, University of Canberra
• Lauren Anthes, CEO, Women’s Health Matters
• Darlene Cox, Executive Director, Health Care Consumers’ Association
• Stacy Leavens, CEO, Capital Health Network
• Donna Murray, CEO and Company Secretary, Indigenous Allied Health Australia Ltd
• Matt Sharp, CEO, Goulburn Valley Health
• Professor Eugene Soh, CEO of Tock Seng Hospital and Central Health Deputy Group CEO, Integrated Care, National Healthcare Group, Singapore
• Tom Cullen, Legal Counsel, Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation
• Maddy Northam, President of Unions ACT

Members of the council will attend the ACT Health Forum today. The forum will bring together health system stakeholders including consumers, carers, clinicians, policy makers, non-government organisations, and academics.

“The ACT Health Forum represents another important step in the conversation on where we want our health system to be in 10 years,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.