Two of our busiest kaimahi at Counties, took time over a hasty coffee recently to share the incredible breadth of the roles they perform in a variety of wide-ranging jobs.
Dana Ralph-Smith and Penny Magud have worked closely together for several years – managing the huge job of driving the care of Counties patients in the community and charting the way forward for better facilities and treatment beyond the walls of the big hospital environment.
Dana wears several hats as Director of Ambulatory and Community Care, but she’s also taken on the big job of running the new Manukau Health Park development.
She told us: “When the new facilities at MHP all kick in in a couple of years, it’s going to be wonderful for patients and staff – new operating theatres, more outpatients’ clinics spaces, better access to community breast care, renal and radiology services – we can’t wait to see it finished.”
Dana -who originally trained as a physio - came here from the US over 20 years ago, progressed to a role as a service manager, got an MBA, and now manages a vast and complex array of services.
Penny Magud describes Dana as her ‘boss’. In reality, Penny has a big range of responsibilities in the same area – care in the community.
“I look after the Hospital in the Home as well as the whole of Specialist Community Health Services. We are so incredibly proud of how we get to provide for often acutely unwell patients in our community hubs and more importantly, in their own homes, where they are comfortable and where whaanau can be involved in their care.”
In her role as General Manager for specialist community health services, Penny- originally an occupational therapist - brings a wealth of experience, including eight and a half years at Counties, and a 17-year career in out-of-hospital care in the UK.
Both Dana and Penny are adamant the best part of their jobs is the satisfaction of assisting patients from the Counties Manukau area and working with highly dedicated staff.
Dana added there are enormous milestones in a career working in this area, such as getting a new specialist rehabilitation unit facility business case underway for patients and their whaanau and handing it to the next leaders to continue the hard work over the next few years.
“It’s ultimately about making a difference for our patients and our staff.”
Two incredibly hard-working wahine, making a world of difference in Counties Manukau.