Blackall Hospital Director of Medical Services Dr Karyn Matterson and her family are bidding farewell to the Central West
Blackall Hospital Director of Medical Services Dr Karyn Matterson and her family are bidding farewell to the Central West and seeking new challenges in Tasmania.
Dr Matterson has been Director of Medical Services at Blackall since February 2024.
She is currently on leave and will formally finish up in her position on 8 February.
Dr Matterson said she and husband Simon had enjoyed living and working in Blackall over the past two years.
“My departure brings both sadness and excitement for our future plans,’’ she said.
“Simon and I are moving temporarily interstate to Tasmania to be closer to his side of the family and for myself to take up further training to formalise skills, capabilities and knowledge in senior medical administration roles.
“I think it would be true to say that my role as a medical leader in the Blackall-Tambo community over the past two years entailed my wearing of multiple hats – clinician, manager, mentor and advocate.
“In the past two years we’ve faced floods, the dry outback heat and the frostiest of winter morning.
“Yet, each and every day offered a new challenge to collaborate across disciplines, advocate for local services and support clinicians to ensure a stable medical service here in the Blackall-Tambo region.
“It has been a highlight of my tenure to provide care to the Tambo community, as well as to Blackall, and to reinstate twice weekly doctor services in Tambo. I am extremely proud of the safety culture that I have championed in Blackall and Tambo, ensuring that patient safety comes before all else.
“I have often reflected on the advocacy that was required for our community that was not often seen by community except for those who received it or were involved in our Community Advisory Network or other organisations with close contact to us.
“Blackall Hospital and Tambo Primary Health Centre host many medical students and junior doctors throughout the year each year, from Heart of Australia to Queensland University of Technology and James Cook University, to our feeder hospital from Redcliffe in Brisbane.
“This year we attracted one of our Principal House Officers, Dr Grace Wagon, to return for the year, which we are thrilled about.
“My role as Director of Medical Services is not only managing and nurturing these medical students and junior doctors to want to become Rural Generalists of the future, but to also ensure that the appropriate ongoing supervision and medical education is provided to them as part of the wider Central West Health team.
“Simon and I will always hold the Blackall and Tambo communities, and our Central West Health colleagues close in our hearts as we move on to new challenges.’’
Central West Health Executive Director of Medical Services Dr David Walker said Dr Matterson had served the Blackall and Tambo communities well for the past two years and been a strong advocate of health services for the region.
“In a town where healthcare is as much about trust and continuity as it is about clinical skill, Dr Matterson occupied a role that was both highly demanding and deeply influential,’’ he said.
“She provided senior medical leadership in one of the state’s most remote regions where the title ‘Director of Medical Services’ carries a meaning far broader than administration.
“It is a role that sits at the intersection of clinical care, workforce leadership, and community responsibility. Unlike metropolitan hospitals, where layers of specialists and support services are readily available, rural facilities rely on medical leaders who are clinically hands-on and operationally agile.
“As such, Dr Matterson was responsible for clinical governance and patient safety while also supporting and mentoring medical staff, coordinating visiting services, and working closely with nursing and allied health leaders to ensure safe, sustainable care.
“She also has played a key role in the future of rural healthcare. By supporting rural generalists, registrars, and visiting doctors in her position as Director of Medical Services, she has helped shape the next generation of clinicians willing to practise outside major centres—an ongoing challenge across regional Australia.’’