Our board

The Board is responsible for the governance activities of CHQHHS (the service), deriving its authority from the Hospital and Health Boards Act 2011 and the Hospital and Health Boards Regulation 2012. There is a clear distinction between the strategic role of the Board and the operational role of the Executive. The Board controls the service for which it is established, while the Health Service Chief Executive and leadership team are responsible for implementing the Board’s directions and for the day-to-day management of service.

The functions of the Board are provided in the Board Charter and include:

Developing the strategic direction and priorities for the operation of the service
Monitoring compliance and performance of the service
Ensuring safety and quality systems are in place which are focused on the patient experience, quality outcomes, evidence-based practice, education and research
Developing plans, strategies and budgets to ensure the accountable provision of health services
Ensuring risk management systems are in place and overseeing the operation of systems for compliance and risk management reporting to stakeholders
Establishing and maintaining effective systems to ensure that the health services meet the needs of the community.

The following committees support the functions of the Board. Each operates within terms of reference describing the purpose, role, responsibilities, composition, structure and membership:

Health Service Executive Committee
Finance and Performance Committee
Risk and Audit Committee
Quality and Safety Committee
Research Committee

Our Board Members

David Gow - Chair

Mr Gow brings more than 30 years’ experience in law, banking and finance, having held senior leadership roles with a multinational bank in Australia and internationally. Since returning to Australia in 2008, Mr Gow has held a number of non-executive board roles in government and private sector companies, specialising in governance, financial management, and audit and risk management. He also gained extensive knowledge of research commercialisation during his time as a director of University of Queensland Holdings.

Cheryl Herbert - Deputy Chair

Adjunct Professor Herbert has more than 20 years’ experience as a Chief Executive Officer and leader within not-for-profit and government health and regulatory organisations. A trained midwife and nurse, Ms Herbert is a fellow of the Australian College of Nursing and the Australian Institute of Company Directors, a board member of Lives Lived Well Pty Ltd and a Director of Guide Dogs Qld Pty Ltd, UnitingCare Qld Pty Ltd and Peachtree Ltd. She was the founding CEO of the Health Quality and Complaints Commission (HQCC) from 2006 and served as the CEO of Anglicare (formerly St Luke’s Nursing Service) for 10 years. Cheryl has recently retired as CEO of the Institute of Healthy Communities Australia (IHCA Ltd) and Vice Chair of the Brisbane South Primary Health Network Pty Ltd. Ms Herbert holds a Bachelor of Applied Science and a Diploma of Applied Science from Queensland University of Technology.

Associate Professor Martin Byrne

Associate Professor Byrne is a well-respected general practitioner, rural generalist and medical administrator with more than 20 years’ experience working in rural and remote health settings, both in the public and private sector. He is currently Director of Medical Services of Metro North Hospital and Health Service’s Surgical, Treatment and Rehabilitation Service (STARS), and an Associate Professor with Griffith University, where he serves as Medical Educator and Examiner, as well as senior roles with The University of Queensland and University of Southern Queensland. Associate Professor Byrne has also previously served in executive roles for South West and Darling Downs hospital and health services.

Suzanne Cadigan

Ms Cadigan has vast experience as a registered nurse in both the public and private health sectors, working in a range of clinical roles such as surgical nursing, education and staff development, and paediatric nursing. She has served as the Nursing Director of Surgery and Perioperative Services at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital for 12 years, with a background in previous leadership roles in critical care and emergency nursing. Ms Cadigan currently holds membership of the Nursing and Midwifery Board Queensland and is a past President of the Queensland Nurses’ Union and former member of the Queensland Nursing Council. She has recently joined Karuna Hospice as a Board member.

Dr Simon Denny

Dr Simon Denny is a paediatrician and adolescent physician, currently working as Director of the Mater Young Adult Health Centre in South Brisbane. Prior to this he served as an Associate Professor in the Department of Paediatrics, Child and Youth Health, at the University of Auckland. Dr Denny has worked with adolescents and young adults for more than 20 years in Australia, New Zealand the United States, gaining expertise in a range of health conditions affecting adolescents and young adults, including obesity, gender and identity issues, drug and alcohol and mental health concerns. He is widely published internationally in the field of adolescent health and wellbeing.

William Fellowes

Mr Fellowes is an experienced board and audit committee member with an extensive background in advisory and assurance, specialising in external audit, internal audit and financial consulting. Mr Fellowes has worked in the public and private sector across the healthcare, consumer, energy and mining industries. Through his professional career at PwC, Mr Fellowes has been seconded into numerous executive roles including Chief Executive Officer of healthcare technology company, InnoWell. He also sits on several not-for-profit boards and audit committees

Karina Hogan

Ms Hogan has a strong background in media and indigenous advocacy. In addition to her current role as an ABC journalist, Ms Hogan is also Chair of the Brisbane Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service and a Director on the board of Sisters Inside, which works to improve outcomes for women and children in touch with the criminal justice system.

Meredith Staib

Ms Staib has more than 20 years’ clinical and commercial experience in the public, private and community sectors. She has worked in hospital and healthcare management, global medical assistance and is currently the CEO of the Royal Flying Doctor Service (Queensland), one of the largest and most comprehensive aeromedical operations in the world. Ms Staib also holds memberships on the Australian Advisory Council Thankful4Farmers and the Crisis Cover Global Advisory Committee and has previously held international director and board positions.

Heather Watson

Heather brings more than 30 years legal and governance experience with the last 10 years specifically across the charitable and nonprofit sector. She has been a partner in legal practices in both regional and metropolitan contexts. Her industry expertise covers aged care, health and community services, affordable housing and Indigenous communities. She has considerable experience in structuring and strategic advice to philanthropic entities.

Ross Willims

Mr Willims has held a number of senior executive positions within both the public and private sector such as Vice President External Affairs BHP Billiton Metallurgical Coal, and Director General of the Queensland Department of Mines and Energy. He has also worked in a range of Commonwealth Government departments. On his retirement from BHP Billiton, Ross was appointed Chairman of the Australian Coal Association and Australian Coal Association Low Emissions Technologies Limited. Mr Willims was awarded life membership of the Queensland Resources Council in 2011.

Frequency of meetings, agenda setting and meeting outcomes

Board meetings are held monthly and venues alternate between Children’s Health Queensland facilities, to allow the Board Members to meet and hear from patients and staff. Committee meetings are held quarterly, with membership made up of a smaller group of Board Members focused on the oversight and monitoring of the relevant functions.

Meeting agendas are prepared by the Board Secretary and approved by the Chair of the Board/Committee. Minutes of Board and Committee meetings are recorded by the Board Secretary and a summary of Board meeting outcomes is prepared following the approval of meeting minutes.

Board Charter and Committee Terms of Reference

Contact with the Board

The primary point of contact for the Board is via the Board Secretary, with formal meeting requests and appointments for the Board or Board Members coordinated by the Board Office.

e: CHQ_Board@health.qld.gov.au
t: 07 3068 5577