Nepean Blue Mountains LHD Board

Meet the people who make decisions about how the Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District (LHD) operates.

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Our board

The Nepean Blue Mountains LHD Board has overall responsibility for the strategic direction and operational efficiency of our services and facilities.

Our board brings together a wealth of experience and local knowledge, to make sure our decisions meet the needs of our local communities.

Our board communicates regularly with local and state public health stakeholders. Read more about the functions of the board.

Peter Collins (Chair)

The Hon. Peter Collins AM KC was a barrister and ABC journalist before his election to the NSW Parliament. Peter served for 22 years in senior roles including Minister for Health, Attorney General and Treasurer of NSW during his 7 years in the Greiner/Fahey Government, and a further 6 years as Deputy Leader and Leader of the Opposition, before leaving the Parliament in 2003.

Peter has been a Director of Industry Super Fund HOSTPLUS since 2006. He is also a Fellow of the Australian Institute of Superannuation Trustees (FAIST); Chair of the Sydney Financial Forum; and Chair of Barton Deakin Government Relations which he established in 2009. Other appointments have included member of the Workers Compensation Insurance Fund Investment Board of NSW (2005 to 2012); Chair of St John Ambulance NSW (2007 to 2013); and Chair of the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2004 to 2011).

For his civilian service, Peter was made a Member of the Order of Australia (2004); a Commander in the Order of St John (2012); and received the Centenary Medal.

Nhi Nguyen (Deputy Chair)

Dr Nhi Nguyen is a staff specialist at Nepean Hospital in the Department of Intensive Care Medicine and a fellow of the College of Intensive Care Medicine of Australia and New Zealand.

Nhi is also the Clinical Lead for the Nepean Redevelopment, a $1 billion investment in health infrastructure.

Since 2016, Nhi has held roles in the Agency for Clinical Innovation and the Ministry of Health, including Clinical Director Intensive Care NSW, Clinical Advisor for ICU during the COVID Pandemic and also as the Clinical Co-Chair of the Health System Advisory Council.

Nhi has had a long association with Nepean Hospital, starting as a medical student at the Nepean Clinical School in 1997 and as an intern at the hospital in 2000.

In her various roles, Nhi is committed to supporting the development of all aspects of health care delivery to enable clinicians to provide the best quality care for the community they serve.

Richard Fox MBE

Richard Fox MBE is a former world champion canoeist who competed for Great Britain in the 1980s and 90s, before moving to Australia in 1998 with his wife, Myriam. Their daughters, Jessica and Noémie, adopted Australia as their new home and have since surpassed their parents’ feats on the river by winning gold medals at the Paris Olympic Games.

Instrumental in gaining the inclusion of canoe slalom in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Richard studied Physical Education at Birmingham University before working in Penrith NSW as a Head Coach and Performance Director. He is now the Head of the Paddle Australia Organising Committee for the 2025 World Championships at Penrith Whitewater Stadium.

As a Director of Fox & Co., a small consultancy business in the sport, media and community sector, Richard was part of the Channel Nine commentary team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. With international experience in stakeholder engagement and media relations, Richard is actively involved in the advocacy portfolios for Penrith and Western Sydney, promoting health and wellbeing and attracting people and new business to the city of Penrith.

Richard is President of the Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Board of the International Canoe Federation and Nepean Blue Mountains Education and Medical Research Foundation.

Stephen Fuller

Associate Professor Stephen Fuller is the Associate Dean and Head of Sydney Medical School (SMS) Nepean. He practises as a Clinical Haematologist at Nepean Hospital and is Deputy Chair of the Senior Medical Staff Council. Associate Professor Fuller is a Fellow of the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia and The Royal Australasian College of Physicians, and is a member of a number of Learned Societies including the Haematology Society of Australia and New Zealand, the Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia Australian Research Consortium and the Australasian Leukaemia and Lymphoma Group. Associate Professor Fuller is a medical graduate of the University of NSW and has a PhD in Medicine from the University of Sydney. Since 2009 he has been Head of Academic Haematology at Nepean and is currently a member of the Nepean and Blue Mountains Local Health District Scientific Advisory Committee and the University of Sydney Human Research Ethics Committee.

Associate Professor’s vision for research and education at SMS Nepean is to develop multidisciplinary, cross-faculty mental health, infectious diseases, diabetes and cardiovascular disease and cancer Strategic Priority AReas for Collaboration (SPARCs) strategically located in Western Sydney. This research will be integrated with teaching, providing opportunities for MD students to participate in studies focused on research of local, national and international importance. This research will promote retention and recruitment of academic and research staff, including higher degree research students and postdoctoral fellows.

Ms Del Gaudry CSC

Del Gaudry CSC grew up in Oakdale NSW and completed Year 12 at Camden High School before traveling Australia. She joined the RAAF as a WRAAF Clerk Supply, and later became a Logistics Officer after completing a Bachelor’s Degree. She served in the Air Force until 1994, then joined the Standby Reserves, before returning as an active Reservist in 2006 until April 2023.

Del held various roles, including Air Force Coach, Mental Health First Aid facilitator, Women's Integrated Network Group Coordinator, and the inaugural Women Peace and Security Staff Officer. Outside the Air Force, she worked in senior HR roles with Bunzl Limited, Visy Recycling, PacificBrands, and Mobil.

Del is also active in volunteer work, serving as the Sydney Coordinator for Women’s Veteran Network Australia, a member of Zonta in the Blue Mountains, and a firefighter with the Rural Fire Service. Since 2022, she has been the National President of the Defence Force Welfare Association.

Her achievements include receiving a Bronze Chief of Air Force Commendation, a Gold Vice Chief of the Defence Force Commendation, an Australia Day Medallion, and the 2018 'Spirit of ANZAC Award.' She was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC) in 2023 for her contributions to Women, Peace, and Security, as well as mental health and welfare efforts in the Air Force.

Del resides in the Blue Mountains.

Pamela Rutledge

Pamela (Pam) Rutledge AM has a strong mental health, social policy and human resources background, and has successfully managed major programs and led change and reform in the health and community service sectors.

Pam is a part-time Deputy Commissioner of the Mental Health Commission of NSW, a part-time Member of the NSW Mental Health Review Tribunal, and a Director of Autism Australia (Aspect Australia) and Chair of their Governance Committee.

Pam has many years of experience managing and leading complex health, community services and mental health services, and has been successful in building values-driven cultures, engendering quality, continuous improvement and co-design. As well as her commitment to co-design with people with a lived experience, families and carers, Pam is a strong advocate for good governance and accountability, risk management and strategic planning.

In her early career, Pam worked as a social worker in frontline mental health service delivery. She also has extensive experience in senior roles in the NSW Government, including health, housing, and ageing and disability.

In 2009 Pam became chief executive officer (CEO) of Richmond Fellowship of NSW and then CEO of the merged Flourish Australia (RichmondPRA Ltd) until 2017. She led a team in several innovations and reforms such as the exponential growth of the peer workforce and the establishment of the successful Resolve Program.

In 2017 she was honoured as a joint recipient of a National Award (the TheMHS Award) for an Exceptional Contribution to the Mental Health Sector in Australia and New Zealand.

In 2021, Pam was awarded an Australia Day Honour (AM) for her significant service to people living with disability and other vulnerabilities.

Pam lives in the Blue Mountains with her family. She is also actively involved with the teaching of Primary Ethics in local public schools.

Ian Seppelt

Professor Ian Seppelt is a senior specialist in Intensive Care Medicine at Nepean Hospital, Sydney and the University of Sydney Medical School, Clinical Professor in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Adjunct Professor (Research) at Monash University and Conjoint Associate Professor at the University of NSW.

He is an active clinical researcher and teacher in intensive care medicine and is Honorary Professorial Fellow at the George Institute for Global Health, Sydney.

His research interests include critical care infection (including gut microbiology in critical illness), fluid resuscitation, complex airway management, and sedation and delirium in intensive care. He is the Australian lead for the multinational SuDDICU program (developing the 'definitive' trial of Selective Decontamination of the Digestive Tract in Intensive Care). Other interests include neuroanaesthesia and neurocritical care, and the ethics of clinical research in critical illness. He is senior horse transport technician and deputy assistant groom for his children and also part owner of a very nice vineyard near Orange in central NSW.

Sharon Williams

Sharon Williams is a proud Koori woman whose connection and roots are with the Wiradjuri Nation of central NSW.

Sharon is a senior project officer in the Aboriginal Workforce team at the NSW Ministry of Health where her key responsibility is to manage the NSW Aboriginal Allied Health Cadetship program.

She has a long association with Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District having held various positions within Nepean Hospital and the Workforce People and Culture directorate spanning 20 years.

Sharon is passionate about empowering Aboriginal people into meaningful employment, ongoing professional development, education and training.

Board sub committees

The Nepean Blue Mountains LHD Board has several sub committees. They provide specialist advice that helps the LHD perform its functions.

Aboriginal Health Committee

The Aboriginal Health Committee provides leadership, governance and strategic direction for key District-wide activities associated with Strategic Outcome 2 of the NBMLHD Strategic Plan ‘people are healthy and well'. The Committee is responsible for supporting NBMLHD to achieve the following key objective of this Strategic Outcome:

close the gap by prioritising care and programs for Aboriginal people.

Audit and Risk Committee

The Audit and Risk Committee provides independent advice to the Board and Chief Executive. The committee:

oversees and monitors Nepean Blue Mountains LHD’s governance, risk and control frameworks and its external accountability requirements
and monitors correspondence to Nepean Blue Mountains LHD management from the Auditor General.

Finance, Performance and Planning Committee

The Finance, Performance and Planning Committee provides leadership, governance and strategic direction for key District-wide activities associated with Strategic Outcomes 2 and 6 of the NBMLHD Strategic Plan ‘safe care is delivered across all settings’ (performance and planning components only) and ‘the health system is managed sustainably’. The Committee is responsible for supporting NBMLHD to achieve key objectives of these Strategic Outcomes including:

deliver safe, high quality reliable care for patients in hospital and other settings
align infrastructure and service planning around the future care needs
drive value-based healthcare that prioritises outcomes and collaboration
commit to an environmentally sustainable footprint for future health care
adapt performance measurement and funding models to targeted outcomes
align our governance and leaders to support the system and deliver the outcomes of Future Health.

Joint Integrated Health and Wellbeing Committee

The Joint Health and Wellbeing Committee provides leadership, governance and strategic direction for key District-wide activities associated with Strategic Outcome’s 2 and 3 of the NBMLHD Strategic Plan ‘safe care is delivered across all settings’ (population health and integrated care components only) and ‘people are healthy and well’. The Commitee is responsible for supporting NBMLHD to achieve the key objectives of this Strategic Outcome:

connect with partners to deliver integrated care services
strengthen equitable outcomes and access for rural, regional and priority populations
prevent, prepare for, respond to and recover from pandemic and other threats to population health
get the best start in life from conception through to age five
make progress towards zero suicides recognising the devastating impact on society
support healthy ageing ensuring people can live more years in full health and independently at home
support mental health and wellbeing for our whole community
partner to address the social determinants of ill health in our communities.

Medical Staff Executive Council

The Medical Staff Executive provides advice to the Chief Executive.

Patient and Carer Experience Committee

The Patient and Carer Experience Committee provides leadership, governance and strategic direction for key District-wide activities associated with Strategic Outcome 1 of the NBMLHD Strategic Plan ‘patients and carers have positive experiences and outcomes that matter’. The Commitee is responsible for supporting NBMLHD to achieve the key objectives of this Strategic Outcome:

partner with patients and communities to make decisions about their own care
bring kindness and compassion into the delivery of personalised and culturally safe care
drive greater health literacy and access to information
partner with consumers in co-design and implementation of models of care.

Research and Innovation Committee

The Research and Innovation Committee provides leadership, governance and strategic direction for key District-wide activities associated with Strategic Outcome 5 of the NBMLHD Strategic Plan ‘research and innovation, and digital advances inform service delivery’. The Commitee is responsible for supporting NBMLHD to achieve the key objectives of this Strategic Outcome:

advance and translate research and innovation with institutions, industry partners and patients
ensure health data and information is high quality, integrated, accessible and utilised
enable targeted evidence-based healthcare through precision medicine
accelerate digital investments in systems, infrastructure, security and intelligence.

Safe Care Committee

The Safe Care Committee provides leadership, governance and strategic direction for key District-wide activities associated with Strategic Outcome 2 of the NBMLHD Strategic Plan ‘safe care is delivered across all settings’. The Commitee is responsible for supporting NBMLHD to achieve the key objectives of this Strategic Outcome:

deliver safe, high quality reliable care for patients in hospital and other settings
deliver more services in the home, community and virtual settings
connect with partners to deliver integrated care services
strengthen equitable outcomes and access for rural, regional and priority populations
align infrastructure and service planning around the future care needs.

Work Health Safety and Culture Committee

The Work Health, Safety and Culture Committee provides leadership, governance and strategic direction for key District-wide activities associated with Strategic Outcome 4 of the NBMLHD Strategic Plan ‘our staff are engaged and well supported’. The Committee is responsible for supporting NBMLHD to achieve the key objectives of this Strategic Outcome:

build positive work environments that bring out the best in everyone
strengthen diversity in our workforce and decision-making
empower staff to work to their full potential around the future care needs
equip our people with the skills and capabilities to be an agile, responsive workforce
attract and retain skilled people who put patients first
unlock the ingenuity of our staff to build work practices for the future.

Board meeting minutes

See below for Nepean Blue Mountains Local Health District Board meeting minutes from recent years. For older archived minutes, contact privacy and information.

2024

2023

2022

Nepean Blue Mountains LHD Board

Our board

Board sub committees

Board meeting minutes

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