It was Phil Jamieson’s first day on the job yesterday. He has replaced Ruth Kibble, who has returned to the South Canterbury District Health Board, from where she was seconded in September 2018 after the departure of former WDHS chief executive Robert Gonzales.
Mr Jamieson has moved to Oamaru from Invercargill, where he had been working as the SBS Bank executive general manager of development since 2012.
He started his career in strategy and change consulting, which included leading the integration of health services in Auckland. He has held various other roles in finance, aid and development, and multinational contracting in New Zealand, Scotland, England, Australia and Southeast Asia.
His "real passion" for healthcare developed after his eldest daughter, Lucy (17), was left paralysed after an accident four years ago.
"We saw the challenges, the opportunities [and] the obstacles for not only patients, but also staff operating in that environment," he said.
The strong sense of community ownership in the delivery of health services in the Waitaki district and the "quite unique" structure of WDHS attracted him to the role.
He was looking forward to working with staff and the wider Waitaki community.
"An organisation such as this is fundamentally about community, so the first pieces will be meeting and understanding where people come from, their differing opinions, both within the organisation and outside of the organisation," he said.
Mr Jamieson said he and wife Libby and children Lucy, George (15), Pippa (8) and Anna (5) had been warmly welcomed to the Oamaru community.
"I’m amazed how cool and quirky the place is — you just don’t really get to see or sense that until you’re here," he said.
Yesterday was a "landmark day" for WDHS, chairman Mark Rogers said.
"We’re really excited to have Phil on [board].
"Two years is a long time without a permanent chief executive."
In the six months ended December 31, 2019, WDHS reported an overall operating deficit of $1,176,227. Moving the company into a financially sustainable position was a priority, Mr Rogers said.
"We’ve got a process in place with Phil to look at the overall business structure and deliverables, the key challenges around locums versus permanent [doctors] and other cost challenges," he said.
"We’ve had great support from the Waitaki District Council and now with Phil on board the final piece of the puzzle is in place, from a board perspective, that we can now get the right structures and systems in place."
