Clinical Council

Our Clinical Council members come from a range of professional backgrounds including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners, general practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, and allied health professionals.

The Clinical Council is an advisory body providing strategic guidance and advice to the Board on locally relevant clinical issues and assisting NT PHN management to ensure decisions, investments, and innovations are patient-centred, cost-effective, locally relevant, operationally sound and aligned to local care expectations and experience.

Become a Clinical Council member

If you’re in the health sector and looking to broaden your scope of experience or perhaps wind down your career but still have a finger on the pulse – this may be the right opportunity for you.

Being a Clinical Council member requires you to attend only 4 meetings a year yet provides you with a wealth of opportunities.

Networking with clinical peers, contributing to strategic changes in the health sector, meeting people from different backgrounds and regions, and voicing issues that concern you or your community are just a few of the things you can expect to get from this position. Not to mention, you’ll be paid for your time and become a member of a group that values your personal and professional experiences and insights.

Members of the council will reflect and represent the 5 NT government health regions and hold clinical expertise in mental health, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, general practice, aged care, digital health, alcohol and other drugs, or population health.

Be a part of the bigger picture and help improve health outcomes in the Territory while broadening your own skills and knowledge.

 

Apply now

To apply, fill out the online application form below.

Clinical Council members

Chair

The Council Chair is responsible for leading the Council, guiding meetings, focusing on important matters, developing work plans, setting standards, promoting effectiveness and development, maintaining relationships, ensuring administrative tasks are completed, and promoting diversity and representation within the Council.

Dayna Duncan

Dayna Duncan is a junior doctor at Alice Springs Hospital with experience in critical appraisal of evidence, clinical medicine, and governance. Her unique skill set allows her to provide both an individual practitioner and bird’s eye perspective on discussions regarding the implementation of healthcare initiatives and linking programs within a network.

Members

The council members are expected to have a thorough understanding of the council’s role and function, actively participate and provide constructive input, represent the interests of different stakeholders, maintain productive relationships with other councils, attend and contribute to meetings, communicate effectively, treat fellow members with respect, and discharge their responsibilities with due care and diligence.

Amanda Hart

Amanda Hart is a Bagala woman and psychologist with a strong commitment to improving the health status of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. With extensive professional and cultural networks across the NT and Australia, she brings a patient-centred and culturally competent clinical perspective to the NT PHN Board.

Karrina DeMasi

Karrina Joan Demasi is a postgraduate with a Master of Public Health from Menzies School of Health Research/Charles Darwin University and a Graduate Diploma in Education from Northern Territory University. She has worked as a Senior Public Health Policy Officer at Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT and as a Programs Coordinator at Danila Dilba Health Service.

Amanda O’Keefe

Amanda O’Keefe is a Manager of Speech Pathology and Audiology at Royal Darwin Hospital and Profession Lead Speech Pathology at Top End Health Service.

Liza Houghton

Liza Houghton is a highly qualified and experienced healthcare professional, with a background as a Registered Nurse and extensive experience working with multidisciplinary and allied health teams across the health sector. She has undertaken key roles in reviewing or establishing governance frameworks, structures and policies in primary health care and Aboriginal Health Services in the Northern Territory, and has served as a board director for various charities and organisations including NT PHN.

Christian Wright

Christian Wright is an experienced Emergency Nurse, Maternity Educator, Child Health Nurse, Public Health Nurse, and researcher with a focus on improving primary and preventative healthcare systems. He has successfully pioneered and implemented various continuity of care models, improved service delivery for medically high-risk women, and developed culturally sensitive programs that address the needs of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Stephanie McKelvie

Stephanie McKelvie is a junior doctor with experience in both Alice Springs and Tennant Creek Hospitals. As an ACRRM trainee, she has a deep understanding of primary and community health. Her master’s degree in public health, specialising in health service management, has equipped her with the theoretical knowledge required to undertake health needs assessment, service planning, and evaluation, and her current role involves coordinating and organising patient care across sectors, giving her a deeper insight into the NT health system beyond the hospital setting.

Helen Bowden

Helen Bowden is a pharmacist with extensive experience in the Northern Territory’s healthcare sector, particularly in providing quality pharmacy services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. She has a broad skill set, including engagement and support for Commonwealth-funded primary health care programs, and a comprehensive knowledge base of health issues and healthcare delivery.

Phil Walcott

Phil Walcott is a registered psychologist with almost 30 years of experience working in various roles around Alice Springs, Central Australia, and rural and remote Aboriginal communities. He emphasises the importance of mental, physical, and spiritual health and well-being in his community, promoting a positive mindset and advocating for integrated services delivery within the health sector.