The new normal in healthcare

Dr Omar Khorshid
AMA President

A former AOA Board Director and the Chair of Education and Training for four years, Omar Khorshid led the Federal Training Committee during the implementation of AOA 21. Now the President of the AMA, and a previous President of the AMA in WA, Omar’s leadership and many skills are showcased to us daily through his presence in the media across Australia, as he advocates for the best patient care and in the interests of doctors and all health professionals during the pandemic. Omar brings to all his roles diverse experience and skills across public and private sectors. 

Professor David Watters AM OBE
Victorian Perioperative Consultative Council chair

David Watters is Chair of the Victorian Perioperative Consultative Council. He led the Victorian heads of specialties throughout the COVID crisis in 2020. He is the Alfred Deakin Professor of Surgery at Deakin University and Director of Surgery at University Hospital Geelong, Barwon Health, and a former president of RACS (2015). He is a general surgeon with interests in general, colorectal and endocrine surgery and he brings great expertise in advocacy for equitable access to healthcare and for Safety and Quality in Perioperative Medicine. Prof Watters is also actively engaged in advocating for global surgery, having spent almost 20 years in developing countries including Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong, Zambia and South Africa.

Adjunct Professor (UNSW) Bill Bowtell AO
Strategic Policy Adviser

Bill Bowtell is a strategic policy adviser, with particular interest in national and international health policy structures and reform. He trained as a diplomat, with postings in Portugal, Papua New Guinea and Zimbabwe. As senior adviser to the Australian health minister, Bill played a significant role in the introduction of the Medicare health insurance system in 1984. He was an architect of Australia’s successful and well-regarded response to HIV/AIDS. Between 1994 and 1996, Bill was the senior political adviser to the Prime Minister of Australia. During the last 20 months of the pandemic Bill has often been on our TV screens, commenting upon its management.

Ruanne Brell
Avant Medico-Legal Advisory Service Senior Solicitor

Ruanne Brell is a senior solicitor with Avant’s medico legal advisory service. She provides advice on a wide variety of medical and health law areas. Ruanne regularly presents and writes on topical medico-legal areas for internal and external organisations and publications.  She has been on the editorial panel of the Australian Health Law Bulletin since 2014 and is a regular contributor.