IN THE eight years of Jan Child’s tenure as CEO of Bass Coast Health, we have seen extraordinary changes from “Hospital in Crisis” newspaper headlines, when she arrived, to a greatly expanded hospital that has reached Sub Regional status with a larger and better-equipped emergency department. Phillip Island now has a 24-hour Urgent Care centre and very soon a community hospital.

Jan’s vision was to partner with metro hospitals to offer specialist services that we could only dream about. Her commitment led to relationships with The Alfred, Monash and Peninsula, which provided a broad range of services for our community. During this period Jan also recruited a strong, talented and committed team of executives who worked, and still do, to deliver these services. Our cancer centre is a prime example of partnering especially with The Alfred.

Jan is held in high regard by colleagues and key government departments for her transparent and honest communication which resulted in them investing in our expansion plans. The state government are still onside for stage two further expansion.

We are deeply saddened by the loss of such a strategic vision for our healthcare and for someone who has demonstrated such unwavering commitment to community involvement throughout all levels of BCH. Jan has left Bass Coast Health in an excellent position to transition to the state’s potential hospital amalgamations with our already established Bayside partnerships.

Jan’s strong leadership and unwavering commitment has delivered for our community a better healthcare service. We will miss you Jan, but we will always be grateful that you took up the challenge eight years ago.
 

Mim Kershaw, Chair Bass Coast Health Community Advisory Committee