Since beginning her paramedic career in 2003, Clare has worked in rural and remote locations across Victoria prior to joining NSW Ambulance in 2007. In Sydney, Clare qualified in Intensive Care and Extended Care paramedicine.
At NSW Ambulance, Clare has performed a range of clinical, operational, and executive roles. As Director Clinical Operations (Sectors), Clare was responsible for the delivery of all land-based ambulance operations and providing senior clinical and cultural leadership to the 4,000 strong operational workforce.
Clare is the Executive Director Clinical Capability, Safety and Quality at NSW Ambulance and leads a diverse portfolio including Clinical Governance, Education, Virtual Care, Clinical Practice and Programs, Service Planning and Aboriginal Health. Most recently Clare has overseen the implementation of the NSW Ambulance Virtual Clinical Care Centre designed to connect health consumers with the most appropriate care. This new model represents the most significant reform and innovation project to be delivered over the life of the NSW Ambulance Strategic Plan – Redefining our Future and directly addresses the priorities NSW Health has sent in delivering high value, patient centred care.
Clare is a strong and well-respected leader. She encourages ownership, participation and innovation from her teams, always returning the focus of actions and decisions to the needs of the patient and their experience in the out-of-hospital clinical setting. Clare has post graduate qualifications in leadership, public administration, corporate governance and EMS operations management and is a practitioner member on the Paramedicine Board of Australia.
Abstract
By Dominic Morgan ASM
Clare will outline how NSW Ambulance is building on its Virtual Clinical Care model to further refine patient streaming. This session will highlight how NSW Ambulance has evolved from being viewed as a cost to the health system to becoming a pivotal player in demand management across the NSW Health system. NSW Ambulance is currently responsible for 25-30% of all emergency department presentations and serves as the critical ‘front door’ to healthcare, answering nearly 1.2 million unique triple zero calls last year. With 8,000 staff operating within a 160,000-strong NSW Health workforce, NSW Ambulance’s ability to triage patients effectively—through advanced referral pathways, unique models of care and world-class transfer-of-care protocols—positions the organisation well to play a key role in achieving whole of health system efficiencies.
This address emphasises the need to scale geographically equitable, integrated referral networks and integrate with broader health system resources to optimise demand management. By redefining the organisation as a mobile health service with multiple patient streaming options, allows for a reframing by staff, stakeholders, funders and consumers alike.