North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) announces the upcoming transition of the Board Chairperson for its operating organisation, Melbourne Primary Care Network (MPCN).
After more than a decade as the inaugural Chair of MPCN, Associate Professor Ines Rio steps down from the role, with current Deputy Chair Damian Ferrie to become the new Chairperson on 9 September 2024.
Ines has played a foundational and integral role as Board Chairperson as MPCN has traversed a transformative, challenging and historic time for Australians and our health system. Her leadership and guidance has been instrumental in forming and developing MPCN, a crucial part of which has been bringing together stakeholders across different parts of the system to inform our work and collaboratively strive towards a shared vision. From MPCN’s inception in 2015, Ines has been a strong advocate for MPCN’s role in advancing the quintuple aim of health care – especially in terms of championing equity as a key underpinning principle of MPCN’s work.
We extend our deepest gratitude to Ines for her vision, significant contributions and unwavering dedication.
Damian’s appointment is the outcome of a thorough transition plan. He joined the Board in 2018 and has held executive leadership roles in health, housing and community development within the public and not-for-profit sectors.
His career has been focused on tackling social, economic and health equity. For more than a decade Damian led Star Health (now Better Health Network), a highly regarded community health service in Melbourne’s inner south. He is President of the Victorian Council of Social Services and former Chair of Mental Health Victoria.
We are also delighted to announce the appointment of three new non-Executive Directors who will also take up their positions in September 2024. They are:
- Professor Lena Sanci, Head of Department of General Practice and Primary Care at the University of Melbourne, and Chief GP Advisor to the Victorian Government.
- Dr Anthony Bartone, a local GP and former president of the Australian Medical Association.
- Elizabeth Kennedy, an experienced lawyer who currently holds non-executive company director roles at Western Health, the Australian Psychological Society and Victorian Pharmacy Association.
We extend our thanks to recently retired non-Executive Directors Dr Catherine Hutton and Rob Gerrand for their guidance, vision and tireless support.
Ines would like to express her gratitude to all stakeholders for their collaboration and positive relations throughout her tenure. She is confident MPCN’s work will continue to flourish and passes on her heartfelt congratulations to the new Board appointees.
