Posted: 03/01/2008
Article courtesy of "The Border Mail"
“THE most exciting job in Australia” has wooed former Benalla District Hospital chief executive Ray Sweeney to the Wodonga Regional Health Service.
Mr Sweeney will begin as chief executive officer at Wodonga on January 15.
He spent 15 years at Benalla, where he presided over 14 consecutive surplus years following the turnaround of a hospital that had been in financial strife.
He succeeds Dr Andrew Watson.
Dr Watson resigned as chief executive of Health Albury-Wodonga and chief of the Wodonga Regional Health Service in March, citing a lack of progress in the integration of Border health services.
Since then, Greg Pearl has served as interim chief executive.
Mr Pearl will return to his former position as the hospital’s director of business services with Mr Sweeney’s arrival.
Mr Sweeney said that his new position at Wodonga would bring the twin challenges of providing medical care to a growing population and involvement in the creation of a cross-order health service.
“I haven’t been applying for jobs but Wodonga would have to be the most exciting position in Australia at the moment,” he said.
Mr Sweeney said the Benalla and Wodonga hospitals were equally well respected.
“What I am most proud of here at Benalla is the increased range of services including surgery and the provision of a 30-bed nursing home and aged care facility,” he said.
Wodonga Regional Health Service board chairman Graeme Welsh said the selection panel had been unanimous in choosing Mr Sweeney.
“With his depth of knowledge he is ideally qualified to make an immediate contribution to the continuing improvement in the service that we supply our clients,” Mr Welsh said.
“Wodonga Regional Health Service was extremely fortunate in that we had available an impressive group of candidates who applied for the role as chief executive officer.”
