Chief Medical Officer (Australia)

The Chief Medical Officer is the principal health advisor to the Australian government. The position is a medical appointment, reporting to the Departmental secretary for the Department of Health.[1] The position is responsible for the Office of Health Protection which itself has responsibility for biosecurity, immunisation and disease surveillance. The position is also responsible for "maintaining high-quality relationships between the department, the medical profession, medical colleges, universities and other key stakeholders". Other responsibilities of the position vary according to the skills and background of the officeholder.[1] The position was originally created in November 1982 because the newly appointed Director-General of Health was not a doctor.[2] The position is an advisory in nature and does not have executive or operational authority.[3]

As of 22 December 2020, the Chief Medical Officer is Paul Kelly, succeeding Brendan Murphy who became Secretary of the Department of Health.[4]

As of 23 January 2021, the joint Deputy Chief Medical Officers are Nick Coatsworth, Ruth Vine, and Michael Kidd.[5]

In May 2020, psychiatrist Ruth Vin was appointed the first Deputy Chief Medical Officer for Mental health.[6]

Previous officers include John Horvath in 2003,[7] Jim Bishop in 2009,[8][9] and Chris Baggoley from August 2011[10] until 2016. The role has recently been focused on immigration and related health issues, as well as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The position is head of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee[11] and in that role an adviser to the National Cabinet of Australia, created in response to the pandemic.[12]

Annual reports

Separate printed reports from the officer were available before 2003; after that time they became incorporated into the departmental reports.[13][14]

List of Chief Medical Officers

States and territories

Most of the principal health advisors in each state and territory bear the title Chief Health Officer (CHO), apart from South Australia (Chief Public Health Officer) and Tasmania (Chief Medical Officer). During the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia, the state CHOs became prominent as advisors regarding the state responses, and in particular closure of state borders.[18] The CMOs/CHOs are part of the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee which advises the National Cabinet on health matters, which has been particularly important during the pandemic.[19]

As of 2020, the principal health advisors in each state and territory are:[18]

In sport

Many of the major professional sports bodies in Australia, including the Australian Institute of Sport, appoint a Chief Medical Officer, usually a sport and exercise medicine physician, to advise on medical matters.[25][26]

References
  1. Schulz, Amber (16 April 2020). "The man behind the eyebrows: just who is Brendan Murphy?". Crikey. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  2. Carlton, Jim (23 November 1982). "Top management changes in the Department of Health" (PDF). parlinfo.aph.gov.au. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  3. Brew, Nigel; Burton, Kate (16 November 2004). "Australia's capacity to respond to an infectious disease outbreak". Parliament of Australia. Retrieved 15 June 2020. The CMO does not have an executive or operational role in relation to managing health issues, and contrary to how the role is sometimes understood, the Office does not appear to be entirely independent from the Commonwealth Government.
  4. "Leadership". Departrment of Health. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
  5. "Our medical experts : Department of Health News and Alerts". Australian Government Department of Health. 15 January 2021.
  6. New deputy chief medical officer for medical health (audio and text), Australian Broadcasting Corporation. (ABC Radio National, RN Breakfast), 19 May 2020, retrieved 12 June 2020
  7. Halton, Jane (28 July 2003), Renal expert named new Chief Medical Officer for Australia, retrieved 12 June 2020
  8. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. News (28 August 2009), Chief Medical Officer says problems will be solved, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 12 June 2020
  9. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Radio National (17 March 2011), Australia's Chief Medical Officer on Japan radiation risk, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 13 June 2020
  10. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. News (30 August 2011), Chief medical officer takes exception to avian flu warning, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, retrieved 12 June 2020
  11. McCauley, Dana (6 March 2020). "There's a reason Chief Medical Officer Brendan Murphy looks so tired". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  12. Grattan, Michelle (7 April 2020). "Scott Morrison indicates 'eliminating' COVID-19 would come at too high a cost". The Conversation. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
  13. Australia. Chief Medical Officer (1998), Chief Medical Officer's report [1997-98], The Dept, retrieved 13 June 2020
  14. Australia. Department of Health and Aged Care (1998), Chief Medical Officer's report, The Department, retrieved 13 June 2020
  15. "Health". Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 21 April 1983. p. 2121. Retrieved 15 June 2020 – via Trove.
  16. "History of the Department". The Department of Health. 1 December 2014. Archived from the original on 15 December 2014.
  17. "Professor Paul Kelly appointed as Australia's new Chief Medical Officer | Prime Minister of Australia". www.pm.gov.au. Retrieved 22 December 2020.
  18. Farhart, Claudia (19 April 2020). "Who are the experts behind Australia's coronavirus response?". SBS News. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  19. Aubusson, Kate; Mannix, Liam (27 November 2020). "Good Weekend's 40 Australians Who Mattered: Health and Science". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  20. Kanapathippillai, Julia; Jervis-Bardy, Dan (3 August 2020). "Canberra coronavirus preparation: chief health officer says to be prepared, but don't stockpile". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  21. Hunt, Toby (5 July 2020). "ACT Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  22. "Updates". Coronavirus (COVID-19). Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  23. "Members of the NHMRC Council, 2015-2018 triennium". NHMRC. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  24. "Queensland Health". Chief Health Officer. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  25. "Ask The Expert: Getting back to sport". dailytelegraph. 10 May 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  26. Anderson, Emma (21 June 2017). "Dr Carolyn Broderick appointed Chief Medical Officer". Tennis Australia. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
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