Roles and responsibilities
The Chief Medical Officer is responsible for:
- providing strategic leadership by shaping clinical strategy and health policy to improve patient outcomes and system resilience
- advising on health policy, disease prevention, emergency preparedness and public health priorities
- providing quality and safety oversight by ensuring compliance with safety and quality standards across all health services
- serving as a trusted advisor to government on medical and public health matters
- working closely with health agencies, research institutions, and national and international partners to advance best practice.
Key activities
The Chief Medical Officer:
- chairs the Medical Workforce Taskforce, the Low Volume High Complexity Committee, and the National Critical Shortage Response Working Group
- leads the CMO and Director of Medical Services Group and co-chairs the State Health Emergency Management Oversight Group
- supports national initiatives including:
- the Chief Medical Officer Group
- the Voluntary Assisted Dying program
- the Respiratory Protection Program
- advises on and supports other statewide quality and safety initiatives, including governance and system improvement programs such as the Safer Together Program.
About the Chief Medical Officer
Andrew brings extensive experience from a distinguished career in clinical medicine and health leadership. He continues to practise as a cardiologist at St Vincent’s Health Melbourne, in private practice and in rural Victoria, with a focus on preventing and treating atherosclerosis. Andrew also holds an academic appointment at the University of Melbourne, where he leads an active research program and supervises postgraduate students and fellows.
Earlier in his career, Andrew worked at Stanford University Medical Center as an NHMRC Research Fellow, focusing on translational research in atherosclerosis. His blend of clinical expertise, research leadership, and policy insight ensures Victoria’s health system remains safe, innovative, and responsive to the needs of all patients.