Faith and community service were central to Dr Richard Parkinson’s upbringing, so it is no surprise he has become a tireless worker for Mercy Health Albury and the Albury community in NSW.
In the 37 years Richard and his family have called Albury home, he has generously given his time and skills to numerous church, school and community committees. At the same time he has assisted his wife Trish with the raising of four biological children, two adopted children, and the fostering of many others while working full time as a Medical Superintendent in Albury’s major hospitals or as a Department of Health Senior Medical Manager.
Since retiring in 2014, Richard has continued his 37-year involvement with Mercy Health Albury. From 2016–20, he was a member of the local Mercy Health Albury Community Advisory Group and the Mercy Health Community Advisory Committee. Today, he continues to serve as a Consumer Advisor on the Mercy Health Albury Quality Committee, which he has been part of since 2014.
Dr Richard Parkinson.
It is the mix of professional experience in medical administration, longstanding connections with the local community and training as a medical doctor, which makes Richard’s contribution to the committee so unique and important.
Having been a Medical Surveyor and Survey Team Coordinator, he is well-acquainted with the Australian Council on Healthcare Standards (ACHS) — an independent organisation, which continually reviews the safety, quality and performance of healthcare services in Australia. Richard provides the committee with valuable advice, from a service user and community perspective, on the planning and implementation of the Mercy Health Albury quality program.
Indeed, improving the clinical standards and quality of care has been a motivating force throughout Richard’s career and he still gets a buzz from seeing health services grow and improve. “As a Consumer Advisor, I love being able to provide advice, from the consumer perspective, on service planning and standards at Mercy Health Albury and watching the services evolve over time,” he says.
If you would like to make a difference and help us improve the care and services we provide, please contact our Community Experience team at getinvolved@mercy.com.au or phone 03 8416 7872.
Information is also available at mercyhealth.com.au/ourstructure/consumer-engagement/
Last reviewed April 24, 2020.