Gender Equity in Australian Health Leadership

Written By Clare Skinner

February 2021

Asia Pacific Journal of Health Management (achsm.org.au)

With Dr A Cohn, Dr M Cubitt, Dr A Goh, Dr A Hempenstall, Dr R Hoffman, Dr C Lai, A Prof J Munro, Dr C Silvester, Dr D Verran, Dr J Walter

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Objective: To ascertain the gender distribution across public health boards in Australia.

Design & Setting: Analysis of data and information obtained from a cross sectional audit of online publicly listed health boards within Australia from October to December 2019.

Results: The majority of public health boards have close to equal representation of women as board members however women are underrepresented in Chair roles. Victoria has significantly more women on health boards, whereas New South Wales has significantly less women on health boards and in Chair positions. 

Conclusions: Further efforts are required to drive gender equity in senior leadership roles in public health boards across Australia

Clare Skinner

Dr Clare Skinner is a specialist emergency physician with interests in leadership, advocacy, workplace culture, quality and safety, clinical redesign and health system reform. Her current areas of focus include transformation of the emergency department workforce, improving care of people with mental health symptoms, building positive culture in hospitals, and fostering diversity and inclusion in health services. Clare works as a clinician, manager and educator. She is a frequent contributor to academic journals, mainstream media and medical blogs on topics related to hospital practice and culture. Clare is a regular speaker at emergency medicine and leadership conferences and seminars. She was selected in the Top 50 Public Sector Women NSW in 2018.

https://clareskinner.com
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