CEO leaves hospital in less troubled waters
SHE’S persevered through some of the toughest times for Cairns Hospital, but Clare Douglas’ biggest regret has been not spending enough time engaging with the Far North’s community.
The chief executive of the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service announced her resignation this week after six years in the role. Ms Douglas told the Cairns
Post she didn’t have another job to go to, she was merely spending more time with her family in Melbourne after living away for 10 years, and considering her career options.
The former nurse, who has worked in Victoria, South Australia and previously headed up the Mackay Hospital and Health Service, arrived in the Far North at a time of turmoil.
It was revealed the service had a projected $80 million budget blowout, hundreds of jobs set to be cut, and an entire board and several senior executives who had resigned.
Ms Douglas admits there were some “urgent things” requiring her attention
“I think really the first one was engaging with the staff and the community because there was a bit of lack of trust about what was going on and concerns about what the future held,” she said.
Six years on, the ship has been steered back into calmer waters, in particular the service’s operating budget deficit has been whittled down to $9.1 million, a new board is in place and there has been a long period of stability.
Ms Douglas said her proudest achievements had been helping develop vital infrastructure, in particular for mental health services, and indigenous health.
Cairns Hospital is developing a new mental health unit, and the long-sought youth mental health step-up/stepdown service opened in Manoora in June last year.
Ms Douglas said her biggest regret was not being able to engage more on a professional and personal level with the Cairns community.
“This role is about senior leadership of the community, and although maybe in the last 12 months or so I’ve been able to do that, I probably haven’t done as much as I … would have liked to have done.”