Expert Panel on Queensland Health’s Governance Framework for the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services (2019)

CASE STUDY 3

Offering expert advice and recommendations to enhance governance at Queensland Health, the state’s largest public service department.

Background: In 2019, Dr Tiernan was one of three expert panel members engaged to offer advice on improving Queensland Health’s governance framework. Dr Tiernan and her fellow panellists—Jim McGowan AM, a former Queensland Government Director-General, and Dr Pradeep Philip, a former Secretary of the Victorian Department of Health—considered whether the Queensland health system was able to achieve the objectives of the Hospital and Health Boards Act and whether hospital and health boards could successfully implement Queensland

Government policies and priorities: Dr Tiernan’s inclusion on the panel, which compiled a detailed advisory report based on its findings, demonstrates her wide-ranging knowledge of governance structures, challenges and solutions.

What we did: Dr Tiernan, Mr McGowan and Dr Philip undertook a thorough assessment of Queensland Health’s ability to effectively serve the community and implement government policy. They reviewed a range of critical areas, including procurement, service planning, and industrial and human resources management, and held a series of consultation sessions with key stakeholders.

Their combined efforts and expertise revealed the ways in which the department’s devolved system of governance is maturing and how it can continue this progression to foster greater community and employee engagement, contextualised decision-making and better health outcomes.

Key outcomes: The panel’s final report, Advice on Queensland Health’s governance framework, is enabling the department to move towards an effective networked governance model and to maintain high standards of healthcare delivery for all Queenslanders. Its recommendations, which the state government has accepted in full, include:

embedding networked governance and systems thinking
strengthening Queensland Health’s system leadership
enhancing the capability and effectiveness of hospital and health boards
bolstering system stewardship across Queensland Health.

TESTAMONIAL

“I have had the opportunity to collaborate with Professor Tiernan for over 15 years on a diverse range of projects, from disaster management recovery to public administration, governance, and organisational and systems and process reviews.

Anne’s knowledge and expert analysis of national, state and local politics is widely acclaimed. She not only has a deep understanding of how our federal political system should operate in the interests of citizens but also of how it is operating currently. She has provided advice to governments of all political colours and to a large number of government agencies in a range of jurisdictions.

Her fiercely independent advice is based not only on her analysis of the issues impacting any organisation but also on a strong and consistent conceptional and ethical framework. A strong theoretical and research base underpins her public policy interest and knowledge.

Equally impressive is Anne’s approach to her tasks. She is well prepared, insightful, a good listener and an excellent writer. She ensures that findings and recommendations are evidence-based and consistent with organisational objectives and values.”