Chief medical executive Rob Pegram steps down, Andre Nel to fill role

Dr Pegram started his career as an animal physiologist before transitioning to medicine, working as a GP for 20 years.

Before taking the job as chief, he worked in the medical industry across most Australian states, including as an advisor to various state and federal governments - most notably the Howard government.

Dr Pegram said he was proud of the legacy of work he left during his tenure as a government advisor.

"We did some very useful and interesting things and the legacy of that is still here today in rural general practice," he said.

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"I was lucky to be involved in a team that introduced a whole range of reforms: rural clinical schools, rural departments of general practice, a national prescribing service, rural incentive programs, enhanced primary care, and Medicare structures."

Dr Pegram stepped into the role of the chief medical executive at the start of the pandemic and oversaw the health service's COVID-19 response, including the spread of active cases in Horsham.

He said he was initially meant to fill the role for one month but had to stay on due to issues with border closures.

"I came here last year as a result of a phone call which asked me if I could do a month's work here to fill in for someone," he said.

"So I said that I would come and do that month happily and nine months later I am leaving. One month has become nine months."

COVID-19 proved to be one of the biggest challenges of his career and for the health service itself.

Dr Pegram commended the efforts of Wimmera Health Care Group staff, which he witnessed through 2020.

"Like all rural areas, Horsham is a combination of brilliant, dedicated staff who love their local hospital and their connection to the community along with the ongoing battle of making sure we have the resources to deliver the quality of care we deliver," he said.

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"It is difficult, but it seems to be a nationwide problem for our rural and regional areas, not helped by COVID, which has significantly impaired our ability to recruit, especially from overseas.

"When things are really bad, people pitch in. There is no question about that. When we have a crisis, people step up, do double shifts, do overtime, do extra work.

"The Horsham community should be proud and have confidence in the staff here."

Dr Pegram will retire to Leopold on the Bellarine Peninsula, handing over the baton to South Africa-born Dr Andre Nel.

Dr Nel, originally from Johannesburg, started his career as an anaesthetist and then GP.

He initially moved to New Zealand out of an interest to study a Masters of Business of Administration at the Australasian College of Medical Administrators.

"It was only when I got to New Zealand when I realised that there was a specialist college in Australasia where they do the same sort of thing. I felt that professionally, I had arrived home, I decided," he said.

After 12 years in New Zealand, Dr Nel moved to Australia, where he has worked for the past eight years in the medical field at Bendigo Health and Western Health.

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He joins the Wimmera Health Care Group from a role as a director of Medical Services based in Broken Hill.

"The interesting thing is that I am always impressed by the high standard of care delivered across the country," he said.

"In many of these smaller places, there are so many examples of excellent care being delivered, very impressive. We have a fantastic system in many ways.

"We are very fortunate in that regard."

In the Wimmera, Dr Nel said he was impressed by the health system's ability to work across vast distances and offer specialist services.

"I think in general, given our vast distances in Australia, a small palace like Horsham having a stroke coordinator, knowing if a stroke patient comes in, the whole place is geared up for the patient, they know the patient is coming in and they can have a neurologist look at CT scans," he said.

"A service like that, not all that long ago, was only found in some of the biggest centres in Europe. Now we have that service in a small town like this which is just amazing.

"It wasn't that long ago, these things just didn't happen, so it is really remarkable."

Dr Nel moved to Horsham with his wife, to a 'very nice' part of town beside the river.

He looks forward to integrating into Horsham life and getting to know people.

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