Local Health District Board

Associate Professor Lyn Fragar AO, from Moree (Chair).  Ms Fragar was Chair of Hunter New England Health’s Area Health Advisory Council for about five years. She is a strong advocate for community participation, clinician engagement and the effective delivery of safe, high-quality care for our patients and communities.  In addition, she is the Research Leader and former Director of the Australian Centre for Agricultural Health and Safety, a research centre of the University of Sydney. She was also awarded an Order of Australia for pioneering service to rural health care and farm safety issues in Australia.

Dr Felicity Barr, from Nelson Bay (Deputy Chairperson).  Dr Barr’s current appointments and background includes: Chairman, ANZAC Health and Medical Research Foundation; Member, Advisory Committee of Chairmen, Australian Association of Medicine Research Institute;  Chair, Advisory Board, Research Centre for Gender, Health and Ageing, University of Newcastle; Independent member, Audit and Risk Management Committee, HNE Health; President Australian Association of Gerontology (Hunter Chapter).

Dr Bruce Bastian, from Hamilton South.  Dr Bastian’s current appointments and background includes: Senior Lecturer (Clinical) University of Newcastle; Senior Staff Cardiologist, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, John Hunter Hospital; Deputy Director of Cardiovascular Medicine; Director of Echocardiography; Outpatient and Inpatient Care.

Dr Helen Belcher, from Bolwarra Heights.  Dr Belcher’s current appointments and background includes: Conjoint Lecturer School of Humanities and Social Science, University of Newcastle; Chair of the Maitland Hospital Local Health Advisory Committee. Ms Belcher also has a Graduate Diploma in Social Administration and a Masters of Health Planning, as well as a PhD (The University of Sydney).

Mr Paul Henry, from Inverell.  Mr Henry’s current appointments and background includes: General Manager, Inverell Shire Council.  Mr Henry also has an Associate degree in Local Government Administration, a Bachelor and Masters of Business, and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies.

Dr Ian Kamerman, from Tamworth.  Dr Kamerman’s current appointments and background includes: Adjunct Senior Lecturer with Universities of New England, Newcastle and Wollongong; Practice Principal, Northwest Health, Tamworth; VMO Tamara Private Hospital; Director North West Slopes Division of General Practice; President, Rural Doctors Liaison Committee; Senior Fellow of the Company Director’s Association; member of the former HNE Health Area Health Advisory Council.

Mrs Janelle Speed, from Deepwater.  Mrs Speed’s background includes former appointments as Lecturer, Schools of Rural Medicine and Health, University of New England; Adjunct Lecturer with the Universities of New England and Newcastle; member of the former HNE Health Area Health Advisory Council.

Ms Helen Staines, from Cooranbong.  Ms Staines’ current appointments and background includes: Social Welfare Worker at the Neuropsychiatry Unit Morisset Hospital and Consumer Consultant with HNE Mental Health Services.  Ms Staines has an Associate Diploma in Social Welfare. Her previous experience includes: Team Leader HNE Carer Assist, Committee Member Hunter Schizophrenia Fellowship NSW, positions with the Department of Community Services and TAFE, as well as a number of Community Development roles with non-government organisations.

Conjoint Professor Trevor Waring AM, from New Lambton Heights.  Professor Waring’s current appointments and background includes: Conjoint Professor of Psychology, University of Newcastle. He has had extensive interactions with HNE Health and also holds a Bachelor of Arts (Hons), a Master of Science in Clinical Psychology, and is a Fellow of the Australian Psychological Society.

Mr Kenneth White, from Tinonee.  Mr White’s current appointments and background includes: Previous CEO of Manning Base Hospital and Lower North Coast District Health Service. Mr White also has a Bachelor of Health Administration; is certified as a Professional National Accountant through the National Institute of Accountants; and is a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Management.