Why did the first boss of AHPRA come directly from the World Health Organisation?
“Longtime AHPRA chief executive Martin Fletcher has announced he will step down when his term ends in December this year.
Starting from scratch in 2010, Mr Fletcher helped to create AHPRA, which now has 15 national boards to oversee the registration and regulation of more than 900,000 practitioners.
However, the watchdog has long drawn the ire of GPs.
A survey found that doctors have the most negative view of AHPRA of any health practitioner group in Australia, with just 35% of medical practitioners having a positive view of AHPRA, compared with 52% overall.
A report collating the survey results relating to the Medical Board of Australia also found that ‘both trust and confidence in the Board have declined since the first survey in 2018’.
The AHPRA Board will now start a global search for a new chief executive.”
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The answer to my question of course was the World Health Organisation.
Mr Fletcher has completely destroyed trust in our medical profession by imposing a bureaucratic command and control mentality over our health practitioners which in turn has resulted in them following the orders of the government instead of their expertise and knowledge.
He won’t be missed.
Question is though why is it necessary to do a global search for a role involving Australian Health Departments? Shouldn’t the CEO be someone who is familiar with our dystopian health system and dysfunctional State-Federal arrangements.
Quote from: racgp.org.au
Community Affairs Legislation Committee
05/06/2024
Estimates; and
HEALTH AND AGED CARE PORTFOLIO
National Health and Medical Research Council
Senator RENNICK: No worries, I won’t need 10 minutes for these questions. Hi, Mr Fletcher, how are you going?
Mr Fletcher : Good, thank you.
Senator RENNICK: How long have you been the head of Ahpra for?
Mr Fletcher: It’s just under 15 years. I commenced in December 2009 in six-month lead-up to the commencement of the national registration scheme on 1 July 2010.
Senator RENNICK: Who was your previous employer? Was that in Australia or overseas?
CHAIR: Senator, again, you are able to ask questions which go to the operations and expenditure of government agencies.
Senator RENNICK: Yes. The reason why I ask is that I think he came from overseas, and I’m just curious to know how he got an Australian role given that he had no Australian experience.
CHAIR: I’m happy to seek advice from the secretariat. I don’t believe that’s within the scope of operations and expenditure. It is up to Mr Fletcher to answer—
Senator RENNICK: It’s relevant—
CHAIR: but I will seek advice. Perhaps you could ask a question in a way which does link to those two things.
