Hospital CEO announces retirement

GIPPSLAND Southern Health Service (GSHS) CEO Mark Johnson is retiring after overseeing significant growth in services during the past eight years.

Mr Johnson will end his tenure with GSHS on Friday, September 9, and says the health service is well placed to continue meeting the needs of the local community.

“Late last year we developed a new 2021-26 strategic plan which will set up the organisation for ongoing success as it strives to meet its vision that the South Gippsland community has access to the care and support that responds to its needs,” Mr Johnson said.

“It has been a bit of a rollercoaster but we’re on an uphill trajectory at the moment so it’s good timing to move out and let someone else take the reins.”

During his time as CEO, GSHS has significantly expanded its operations and services for the community.

“When I started, we had about 300-350 staff, now it’s 550,” Mr Johnson said. 

Growing the range of services and expanding into the delivery of home care packages and services to NDIS participants had been particularly satisfying, Mr Johnson added.

“I have really enjoyed working with a good team of people, being involved in the development of the Leongatha Integrated Primary Care Centre, and although the last two years have been very challenging, responding to the pandemic and helping ensure our community’s health and wellbeing has been maintained has been a satisfying achievement.”

Mr Johnson started his health-related career in the private insurance industry and spent 27 years working in the public health system, firstly as finance manager at Wangaratta Base Hospital, Director of Corporate Services at Echuca Regional Health, and then as CEO of Terang-Mortlake Health Service before moving to GSHS.

“Moving here was a step up in my career to a larger hospital and a return to Gippsland where I grew up in Morwell,” he said.

Despite the pressures of the pandemic, staffing and budget challenges, Mr Johnson said he enjoyed being a hospital CEO. 

“Every day was different,” he said. “There were always challenges: you’d come to work with an idea of how your day would pan out and invariably it didn’t go that way as pressing issues came up.

“More recently staffing has been an issue due to illness due to the pandemic and other factors, but there is a shortage of professional staff in all areas of public health.”

While retiring, Mr Johnson, about to turn 63, will consider contract work options. He plans to stay in Leongatha. 

“I wish the health service and the community all the best for the future,” he said.

An interim CEO will be appointed to replace Mr Johnson, while the Board of Management goes through a recruitment strategy over coming months.