Catholic Health Australia (CHA), the largest non-government provider grouping of health and aged care services in the country, has announced that its Chief Executive, Pat Garcia, will be stepping down after serving for four years. Mr Garcia will be assuming a new role in the Catholic Health sector as Group General Manager of Public Affairs and General Counsel at St Vincent’s Health Australia.
In a statement, CHA Chair John Watkins AM commended Mr Garcia’s invaluable contributions to CHA and the broader health sector. He acknowledged Mr Garcia for his tireless efforts in advocating for hospitals, aged care facilities, and the people they serve, especially during the challenging period of the COVID-19 pandemic. Mr Watkins highlighted his instrumental role in promoting vaccination campaigns, securing sustainability funding for hospitals during the suspension of elective surgeries, and reshaping the national debate on aged care funding.
Mr Garcia also chaired the aged care sector’s steering committee for the sector-wide ‘It’s time for better-aged care’ campaign, reinforcing the need for substantial policy reforms and increased funding. Mr Garcia wrote and commented on a number of posts Inside Ageing carried on the topic…Read them here.
Under Mr Garcia’s leadership, CHA personnel were invited to participate in the Aged Care Taskforce and the Jobs and Skills Summit, solidifying the organisation’s influence in health and aged care policy reforms. He wrote a guest post for Inside Ageing about the involvement of CHA at the Canberra event…Read it here.
Catholic Health Australia, known for advocating positive change in the social justice, health, and aged care sectors, will begin the search for a new Chief Executive as Mr Garcia departs in late August.
