The best time to do your planning is not during a crisis

“The one thing that kept being impressed on all of us is; the best time to do your planning is not during a crisis, so it is best to be organised and best to be planned.”

Executive Director Digital Health, Paul Adcock, has been at Eastern Health for just under half a decade, starting just before the COVID-19 pandemic began.

“I obviously didn’t know I was starting before a pandemic; I was very grateful for an opportunity to work at Eastern Health. During that time, I was asked to lead the workforce team for the Victorian Aged Care Response Centre, during the height of our crisis for aged care.

“Not everything can occur tomorrow but we keep planning and exploring opportunities and keep everyone’s excitement levels up by learning and supporting the many innovative activities,” he said.

Despite the hurdles, these challenges create the perfect conditions to promote creativity and find new ways to solve the puzzles that inevitably will come about.

“I am always impressed when staff from diverse areas of the organisation come together and deliver projects that improve the outcomes of both staff and patients. These opportunities also provide for the acquiring of new skills, developing further innovation and perhaps most importantly, foster stronger connections throughout Eastern Health network,” he said.

The opportunity to work in health care, and more specifically nursing, was inspired by his twin sister.

After graduating as a nurse specialising in critical care, Mr Adcock eventually found himself in the role of Nurse Manager for five years.

“I’m very happy to have taken that step into the health care industry.

“I completed a Master of Business Administration which opened up an opportunity to work in strategy and policy for the then Department of Human Services – Nurse Policy Branch, with an early interest in digital workforce dependency tools,” Mr Adcock explained.

His expertise and passion for his profession has since taken him into roles such as Associate Director Of Nursing in Workforce Planning, Clinical Director and Service Development and Review positions.

“I initially entered the Digital Health and ICT environment for about six months and nearly nine years later, I am now where I am today and loving it.”