Matt grew up in the Hunter Valley and went to Newcastle University to study his Bachelor in Nursing. After completing a transitional year in the John Hunter Hospital, he moved overseas and worked in Birmingham City Hospital in the NHS. After returning to Australia, Matt worked in Critical Care Units around Sydney before settling into Prince of Wales Private Hospital ICU. He has also spent time working for The Mater Hospital, Northern Sydney and Central Coast Area Health Service, and as the Project Manager for the Regional Cancer Centre at Gosford Hospital.

Matt first started with Healthe Care in 2012 as the Deputy CEO for Gosford Private Hospital, and has since moved to CEO, Regional Manager and now Executive Manager for Patient Experience and Workforce Sustainability.

Why did you choose to work in health care?

Nursing was something that I didn't consider when I was at school. I was thinking I would do something in business or accounting. But then I had a few people suggest I would make a great nurse, including my Aunty who is a nurse and I thought I would give it a go. As it turned out some of my most memorable moments stem from this decision and it has been a fantastic platform for my career. We often forget to respect that the patient in the bed is vulnerable and we have an opportunity to improve their life through empathy and the best practice. I get a lot of satisfaction out of patients who express they have had the best experience with us.

What are the biggest challenges facing private hospitals currently?

I think at the moment there is concern about the affordability of private health insurance. COVID has effected many households and when people lose jobs or their own businesses go backwards, they look at their household spending to tighten their belts. As private hospitals we need to continue to show value in maintaining private health insurance. We need to ensure that our patients experience is the best possible, as well as providing a service to our Doctors that sees them advocating for our hospitals.

What are the future opportunities for health care in Australia?

There are many opportunities in technology and ways we provide clinical care, however I believe that a greater focus on the patient's experience will see a culture shift in private hospitals. Staff having empathy for the patient's situation will provide a greater value to the patient's experience and see them promote our services. Having a strong values-based culture within our facilities will also see our staff support our drive to put patients first, and our people always.

Do you have a favourite quote you live by?

The standard you walk past, is the standard you are willing to accept. I use this all the time to challenge others with what they are letting go of and what they need to change.

What can we expect in the portfolios of Patient Experience and Workforce Sustainability over the coming months?

We are looking at how we can create greater sustainability in our nursing workforce in years to come. 18% of our nursing workforce is over 60 years of age in Healthe Care. We need programs that entice ENs, RNs and RMs to HCA and create a pipeline of staff in the years to come. We are piloting a collaborative program with Hunter TAFE for ENs as well as working on a support program for RN’s in the Manning Region.

It is hoped that these programs will also decrease our dependence on agency nursing staff and enhance our own employees' experience.