Speaker Profiles

Ian Hickie

Professor Ian Hickie
AM, MD, FRANZCP, FASSA Executive Director
Mind Research Institute (BMRI), University of Sydney

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In October 2006, the Australian Financial Review included Professor Hickie in its list of the top 10 cultural influences. The specific comments noted his role as a “long-term campaigner”, “the person who orchestrated the campaign” that led to the COAG announcements ($4 billion dollars over five years.

In October 2000 he was appointed as the inaugural CEO of beyondblue: the national depression initiative and from 2003-06 served as its Clinical Advisor. In 2003, he was appointed as the inaugural executive director of the flagship Brain and Mind Research Institute at the University of Sydney.

In 2006, Professor Hickie received the Australian Honours Award of Member (AM) in the General Division; for services to medicine in the development of key national mental health initiatives and general practice services in both the public and non-government sectors.

In 2007, he was appointed to the Prime Minister’s Australian National Council on Drugs and has led the BMRI as a founding member of the new National Youth Mental Health Foundation (‘headspace’).

In 2007, Professor Hickie was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia. From 2008-13, Professor Hickie is one of the first round of new NHMRC 2008 Australian Fellows; recognising excellence in Australian Medical Research. His research, clinical and health services development work focuses on expansion of population-based mental health research and development of international mental health strategies.

In July 2008 he was appointed to the Federal Health’s Minister’s new National Advisory Council on Mental Health. In May 2009 he became a member of the Common Approach to Assessment Referral and System Taskforce.
Hugh Grantham

Dr Hugh Grantham ASM
MBBS FRACGP
Executive Director Clinical Services – SA Ambulance Service

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Dr Hugh Grantham currently holds the position of Executive Director Clinical Services of the SA Ambulance Service, focusing on clinical governance and education systems. Dr Grantham has held this position since July 2008. Prior to that he was the Medical Director for SA Ambulance Service, a position he held since 1991.

Dr Grantham qualified with MBBS from St Thomas’ Hospital London in 1980. Dr Grantham has experience in rural general practice (FRACGP), as well as emergency and disaster medicine. Prior to moving to SAAS Hugh held the position of Ambulance Service Medical Officer for Ambulance Service of Victoria and the regional role in the Victorian State Displan.

Other roles that are performed by Dr Grantham include:

  • Chair of the SA Branch Australian Resuscitation Council
  • Member of the National Australian Resuscitation Council
  • Member of the Council of Ambulance Authorities Clinical Committee
  • Chair of the Acute Coronary Syndrome Working Group
  • Lecturer, University of Adelaide
  • Senior Lecturer, Flinders University of SA
  • Visiting Senior Staff Specialist, Emergency Department at the Flinders Medical Centre
  • Early Management of Severe Trauma (EMST) Senior Instructor
  • Advanced Paediatric Life Support (APLS) Instructor
  • Advanced Life Support (ALS) Instructor

Dr Grantham also teaches and examines medical students, medical receptionists and general practitioners with the Royal Australian College of General Practice. 

In December 2004 Dr Grantham held the position of Team Leader of the ECHO team during the relief efforts to Banda Aceh following the tsunami.
Neville Board

Neville Board
Information Strategy Manager
Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care

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Neville Board is Information Strategy Manager at the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care. Current projects include developing the national reporting strategy for safety and quality in health care, guidelines for the evaluation and safe implementation of electronic medication management systems in hospitals (in collaboration with the National E-Health Transition Authority), and data standards for surveillance of healthcare associated infections.

At the Cancer Institute NSW (2003-2008), he established the NSW Clinical Cancer Registry Program with Area Health Services, and the National Round Table for Structured Pathology Reporting for Cancer. Before that he led the radiotherapy systems rollout across NSW public hospitals, and worked in hospital clinical and management roles.
Karen Luxford

Dr Karen Luxford
BSc (Hons) PhD

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In 2008-2009, Karen was a Harkness Fellow in Healthcare Policy & Practice in the USA and studied exemplar health care organizations focused on patient-centred care and the role of patient feedback in improving service quality.

Dr Karen Luxford is General Manager at the National Breast and Ovarian Cancer Centre overseeing programs in cancer control, information, policy and practice. Karen has overseen the development, implementation and evaluation of a number of large national programs in a range of areas across the cancer care continuum. Karen’s interests include new models of care, patient care experience, promoting evidence-based best practice, and health services delivery.  

Karen is an Honorary Associate of the School of Public Health, University of Sydney and founding Executive Committee member of the Health Services Research Association of Australia & New Zealand. .
Justin Belby

Professor Justin Beilby
Executive Dean, Health Sciences
University of Adelaide & Former Commissioner NHHRC

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Justin Beilby is the Executive Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences and was Professor of the Head of the Department of General Practice from 2002-2005.

As Executive Dean, he oversees all undergraduate training in medicine, nursing, dentistry, health sciences, psychology and public health at the University of Adelaide. The Faculty of Health Sciences also has a vibrant clinical and basic science research program, providing very significant research income to South Australia.

He is a member of the Executive of the Medical Deans of Australia and New Zealand. He has been involved in research and evaluation with workforce planning, primary care financing, chronic illness and the Quality Use of Medicines for over fifteen years, in both urban and rural settings. He has published widely in asthma, diabetes and primary care financing.

Professor Beilby has been a member of the Strategic Research Initiatives Working Group of the NHMRC. He HAS JUST FINISHED AS A Commissioner in National Hospital and Health Reform Commission. He is still in active general practice.
Robyn Lawrence

Dr Robyn Lawrence
Executive Director, Innovation and Health System Reform
Department of Health, WA

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  • Executive Director, Innovation and Health System Reform within the WA Department of Health.
  • Oversight of all major system reform initiatives in WA, including elective surgery, acute demand (4 Hour Rule Program) and ambulatory care
  • Trained at UWA and worked as clinician at SCGH before commencing training in Medical Administration in 1997. Awarded Fellowship Royal Australasian College Medical Administrators in 2003.
  • Has undertaken senior administrative roles at a variety of hospitals within WA prior to the current position.
  • Away from work, married with 2 boys aged 8 and 10. This role helps maintain a grounding in what is important, and contributes to the vision of what trying to achieve for health in WA.
Jane Gray
Senior Manager, Health Service Performance Improvement Branch Quality, Performance & Innovation Division,
NSW Health
Sue Cadigan
Nursing Director for Surgery and Perioperative Services,
Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital
Associate Professor Caroline Brand
Director, Clinical Epidemiology & Health Services Evaluation Unit (CEHSEU),
Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne Health, & Centre for Research Excellence in Patient Safety (CREPS)
Professor Donald G. MacLellan
BSc, MD, MBA, FRACS, Statewide Program Director of Surgery
NSW Health
Dr Clive Wright
Chief Dental Officer,
Centre of Oral Health Strategy
Sebastian Rosenberg
Deputy Chief Executive Office,
Mental Health Council Australia
Annette Nuck
Director of Nursing,
Yackandandah Bush Nursing Hospital
Senior Representative
Improvement Foundation Australia
Dr Peter Lynch
Director of Medical and Clinical Services,
Alice Springs Hospital
Dr Penny Albon
Director,
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW)
Michelle Marquanrdt
Director, Health and Disability Section,
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)
Professor Anthony Scott
Professorial Research Fellow,
Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research
Dr Merran Smith
Chief Executive
Population Health Research Network