For today’s ‘get to know your’ profile, we catch up with Simone Motton, Director of Allied Health. Simone joined the health service in 2015 as an Occupational Therapy Clinical Leader, and also worked as the Associate Director of Occupational Therapy and Hand Therapy, before she was appointed to her new role in December last year.

Let’s start with your coffee order.

I’m a very boring person who doesn’t drink coffee. I really wish I did, my taste buds just don’t agree.

Tell us about your role of Director Allied Health – what does it involve?

The Director of Allied Health is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Allied Health Department, as well as ensuring we are strategically planning and responding to current and future needs. This involves a lot of meetings with various staff across the organisation and working very closely with the Allied Health Leadership team across all allied health disciplines.

What excites you the most about your new role?

Allied Health is involved in so many different areas of the organisation so there’s always something new and exciting happening as Northern Health expands. Ensuring we have the right Allied Health staffing within teams and services as we expand is exciting for me. It ensures the community is receiving the best care possible. We also have around 500 staff. I am very passionate about staff wellbeing and making Northern Health a great place to work. We have so many capable staff and we want to ensure we attract and retain them.

What is your vision for the Allied Health department?

Our vision for the Allied Health Department is for it to be a responsive service in a time of rapid growth in the north. This means ensuring we have the best workforce available with the right skills, who are functioning in a positive and supportive environment. It also means ensuring we are collaborating closely and working as a team with all key stakeholders along the continuum of care to provide optimal outcomes for patients.

What do you like to do in your spare time or when not at work?

What spare time! When I’m not at work, I enjoy getting out and about with the family to the beach, events, eating out, visiting family. Post-COVID, we find ourselves not wanting to be within the walls of the house often.

What would people be most surprised to know about you?

I have four children (eight, five, three and one year old) – they keep us on our toes and really ensure we experience the full spectrum of emotions within each 24-hour period.