- WA Health Director-General Dr David
Russell-Weisz PSM steps down after more than eight years at the helm of the
State's biggest Government department
- Dr Russell-Weisz acknowledged for extraordinary
contribution to public healthcare after 28 years of continuous service with WA
Health, including the COVID-19 pandemic
WA
Health Director-General Dr David Russell-Weisz PSM has been praised for his
extraordinary contribution to public healthcare after announcing he will step
down from the helm of the State's biggest public sector agency after more than
eight years of service.
Dr
Russell-Weisz first joined WA Health 28 years ago, and has been
Director-General of the Health Department since August 2015. He is the last
remaining Health Department Director-General in the country to have served
throughout the entire COVID-19 pandemic.
A
highly respected and experienced public servant, Dr Russell-Weisz was the
commissioning chief executive of the Fiona Stanley Hospital and was previously
the chief executive of the North Metropolitan Health Service.
Under
his leadership, Western Australia achieved some of the best COVID-19 outcomes
in the world, successfully minimising infections, and hospitalisations during
the Omicron wave, along with delivering millions of vaccination doses.
Dr
Russell-Weisz was recently awarded the Public Service Medal (PSM) for 'outstanding leadership and management of the Western
Australian health system's response to the COVID-19 pandemic'.
WA
Health is the biggest public sector agency in the State, with a Budget of $12
billion and workforce of more than 57,000 staff.
Dr
Russell-Weisz will finish up his accomplished tenure with WA Health on 27 March
2024, and a comprehensive recruitment process will begin in January to find his
replacement.
Comments attributed to Health; Mental
Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
"Dr
David Russell-Weisz PSM has given the past 28 years of his life to improving
the health and wellbeing of Western Australians, often at great personal
sacrifice, and in that time has achieved some world-leading outcomes.
"It
is with great sadness that I this week accepted Dr Russell-Weisz's resignation
as Director-General, however I respect his decision, and he goes with my best
wishes.
"With
a huge depth of knowledge and unwavering commitment to the WA public health
system, he has provided invaluable advice to many Health Ministers, including
myself, and been instrumental in driving organisational change.
"Our
public health system is better for his outstanding contribution, and he will be
missed."
Comments attributed to Medical Research
Minister Stephen Dawson:
"I
commend Dr Russell-Weisz for the exceptional role that he has played as
Director-General, and his passion for medical research and the benefits it can
deliver to Western Australians.
"We
have worked closely together to fund projects that improve outcomes for people
experiencing ill health and his contribution to public healthcare in our State
is extraordinary.
"Western
Australia achieved one of the best responses to the COVID-19 pandemic in the
world and Dr Russell-Weisz was at the forefront of this incredible result.
"We
thank him for all his outstanding work over the past 28 years."
