General Manager Patient Access and Flow

General Manager - Patient Access & Flow

Taranaki Base Hospital, New Plymouth
Permanent, Full Time

Lead patient access, patient flow and operational excellence across Taranaki's hospital services.

• Are you an experienced senior leader who thrives in complex operational environments?
• Do you have a passion for improving patient access, system performance and patient outcomes?
• Then take this unique executive leadership opportunity.

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is firmly grounded in the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and is committed to building a health system that serves all New Zealanders.

About the Role

Reporting to the Group Director Operations, the General Manager Patient Access & Flow provides strategic and operational leadership across a critical portfolio that supports the safe, efficient and effective delivery of healthcare services across Taranaki.

This role leads the Integrated Operations Centre (IOC), Patient Support Services, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) Support Unit, Security Services, and Emergency Management functions. Working closely with clinical and operational leaders, you will drive initiatives that improve patient access, patient flow, workforce sustainability, operational resilience, and organisational performance.

The role is responsible for ensuring the effective coordination of people, systems, processes, and resources that enable timely access to care, optimise capacity management, support hospital operations and enhance the patient and whānau experience.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Lead the strategic and operational performance of the Integrated Operations Centre and Care Capacity Demand Management (CCDM) programme.
• Drive hospital-wide improvements in patient access, patient flow, capacity management and discharge planning.
• Lead Patient Support Services, including orderlies, cleaning services, patient transport, accommodation services, medical typing, call centre and mortuary services.
• Provide strategic oversight of the Resident Medical Officer Support Unit, ensuring effective workforce planning, recruitment, deployment and wellbeing.
• Lead Security Services and Emergency Management functions, strengthening organisational readiness, resilience and response capability.
• Manage business planning, workforce planning, financial performance and resource utilisation across a significant operational portfolio.
• Use data, operational intelligence and performance reporting to identify opportunities for improvement and drive service excellence.
• Work collaboratively with clinical and operational leaders to remove barriers to patient flow and improve patient outcomes.
• Build strong relationships across Health New Zealand, unions, regional partners, emergency services and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to the strategic direction and operational success of Hospital and Specialist Services across Taranaki.

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About you

To be successful, you will:

• Hold a relevant tertiary qualification in health management, business, nursing, allied health, public administration, or a related field.
• Have significant senior leadership experience (5+ years) within a complex healthcare, hospital, or operational services environment.
• Demonstrate proven success leading large multidisciplinary teams and diverse service portfolios.
• Bring experience in patient access and flow, hospital operations, demand, and capacity management, CCDM, emergency management, or related operational services.
• Demonstrate strong operational, financial and people leadership capability.
• Have experience leading service improvement, organisational change, and performance initiatives.
• Possess excellent communication, influencing, negotiation and conflict resolution skills.
• Be highly adaptable and able to effectively manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrate a commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and improving health equity outcomes for Māori.
• Be able to build trusted relationships with clinical leaders, managers, staff, unions, and external stakeholders.

Why join us?

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a critical portfolio that sits at the heart of hospital operations and patient care.

You will play a key role in shaping how services are coordinated across Taranaki, improving patient access and flow, strengthening workforce capability, supporting delivery against national health targets, and ensuring patients receive safe, timely and equitable care.

Working alongside an experienced and motivated leadership team, you will have the opportunity to influence strategic direction while delivering tangible improvements for patients, whānau and staff every day.

Working at Health New Zealand

Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora is dedicated to ensuring excellent healthcare for the people of New Zealand. We embrace a workforce that is diverse and inclusive so that we are better positioned to understand and service our community. We welcome applications from our diverse Māori, Pacific, disabled, and rainbow communities.

How to Apply

To apply please click “apply now.” All applications must be submitted through our online careers’ portal by Friday 23 October 2026. If you have any questions about the role, please contact Janette Thompson via email Janette.Thompson@tewhatuora.govt.nz

We will review applications as received and may proceed with the recruitment process, before the closing date of this advert.

Whilst Health New Zealand is undergoing change, affected employees will be given preference and priority for this position.