UPDATE Tuesday, September 25: BENDIGO Community Health Services outgoing chief executive Kim Sykes will join the team at the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation.
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Ms Sykes today said she had accepted a position heading up the union’s education centre, in Melbourne.
She last week announced her departure from BCHS, with January 11 marked as her final day after eight years in the role.
EARLIER, September 17: BENDIGO Community Health Services is searching for a new chief executive officer, with Kim Sykes today announcing her resignation.
After eight years in the role, Ms Sykes said she was leaving the organisation on January 11 to take up a position closer to family in Melbourne.
“It’s always been my intention to return to Melbourne at some stage because that’s where my son and daughter live and this opportunity has made that possible sooner than I anticipated,” she said.
The role Ms Sykes is leaving Bendigo Community Health Services for is not yet known.
“My eight years at Bendigo Community Health Services have been enormously rewarding and I’m proud of the work our great staff and the organisation do for the Bendigo community,” she said.
“It’s been a privilege to be part of that. Now it’s time for the next CEO to take BCHS forward and continue that great work.”
BCHS board chair Geoff Bowyer said Ms Sykes had had an ‘incredible impact’ on the organisation, which had benefited greatly from her leadership and direction.
“Her knowledge of the industry, networks and leadership have seen BCHS grow considerably and that’s made our organisation stronger and better,” Mr Bowyer said.
“We sincerely thank Kim for her absolute commitment to BCHS and her vision to improve the health and wellbeing of the Bendigo community.”
He said BCHS would seek employment agency support to fill the role, which will soon be advertised.
“Finding a CEO that continues to build Bendigo Community Health Services into the future through positive leadership and innovation will be our priority,” Mr Bowyer said.
Ms Sykes joined BCHS in July 2010.
She cited establishing the organisation’s current strategic directions as one of the greatest achievements during her time at BCHS.
“It will continue to drive change,” Ms Sykes said.
The organisation’s growth, its focus on illness prevention, and the opening of child and family services centre Kidzspace were further accomplishments of which she was particularly proud.
“It’s rewarding to see we have doubled in size in the eight years I’ve been here,” Ms Sykes said.
She equated the organisation’s growth to doubling its capacity to ‘do the work we do to make a difference’.
Ms Sykes identified opportunities to continue its work in illness prevention, in responding to mental illness and promoting mental health, and in workforce development.
“If we don’t inject much more effort and resources into prevention and health promotion we will continue to see more levels of preventable disease,” she said.
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