Australia's Chief Nursing Officer Announced

PDF printable version of Australia's Chief Nursing Officer Announced (PDF 18 KB)

22 June 2008

Health Minister Nicola Roxon today congratulated Rosemary Bryant for her appointment as Australia’s chief nursing officer.

As Commonwealth Chief Nurse (CCN), Ms Bryant will be a strong voice within government on all issues relating to Australia’s 200,000-strong nursing workforce. She will also contribute to the maternity services review being conducted by the Government.

Nurses are the backbone of Australia’s health system. Everybody relies on nurses at some point in their lives, whether in hospitals, clinics, aged care facilities or schools.

This announcement recognises just how important they are. There has been a Chief Medical Officer since 1985 – it’s time nurses got the recognition they deserve, too.

Ms Bryant is currently Executive Director of the Royal College of Nursing, and has worked in hospitals and community settings. She was previously the Director of Nursing Policy and Planning in the Victorian Government, and the Director of Nursing at Royal Adelaide Hospital.

She was elected as a member of the Board of the International Council of Nurses (ICN) in 2001 and was elected as its Second Vice President in 2005. She has also provided advice to the World Health Organisation on nursing in Nepal.

The Commonwealth Chief Nurse will:

• Work towards building and strengthening the nursing profession as a career of choice.
• Play a key role in developing a strategic and collaborative approach to national nursing policy across all jurisdictions.
• Provide advice on key Government commitments, including our plan to bring 10,000 nurses into the health and aged care sectors through a combination of cash incentives and new graduate places.
• Contribute to the Maternity Services Review
• Participate in the development of our primary care strategy