Western Health is delighted to announce the appointment of Adjunct Professor Tanya Farrell (she/her) to the role of Director of Maternity Services.
Tanya Farrell is a midwife and a nurse and comes to Western Health with extensive experience, expertise and leadership within maternity at a Victorian and national level, and a proven track record of an ongoing commitment to improving the care of women and babies. Tanya is joining Western Health with a desire to move closer to where care is provided to support and lead a maternity service and its nurses and midwives during a time of rapid growth and reform.
Tanya is currently the Senior Maternity Adviser for Victoria at Safer Care Victoria (SCV), a role that she has held since 2018. During this period Tanya has also spent time as the Acting Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer for Victoria. Previous to this Tanya was the Executive Director of Midwifery and Nursing at the Royal Women’s Hospital.
Tanya is the current Chair of the Consultative Council on Obstetric and Paediatric Mortality and Morbidity (CCOPMM) and is the first midwife to hold this role in the council’s 70 year history. We are thrilled that Tanya will retain this role whilst she is part of the Western Health team. Tanya is also an Adjunct Professor in Nursing and Midwifery at La Trobe University and was recently awarded an Honorary Doctorate in Public Health by La Trobe University.
As the chair of CCOPMM Tanya oversees the investigation and reporting of all maternal, perinatal, and paediatric mortality and morbidity, provides advice to the Minister for Health, SCV and the Department of Health on strategies to strengthen clinical governance, improve clinical performance and avoid preventable harm in Victoria.
Tanya will commence at Western Health on 6 March 2023, and will report professionally to Shane Crowe and operationally to Wendy Watson. I know that you will join with me in congratulating Tanya on her appointment and will welcome and support her in this important role.