13 October 2026

The Boards of Orbost Regional Health and Bairnsdale Regional Health Service have agreed to establish a joint Chief Executive Officer arrangement for up to 12 months following the retirement of ORH Chief Executive Officer Vicki Farthing.

The arrangement, which has been endorsed by the Victorian Department of Health, will see BRHS Chief Executive Officer Peter Abraham also take on the role of Interim CEO at ORH for a period of up to 12 months, while continuing as CEO of BRHS.

The joint agreement of the BRHS & ORH Board will provide leadership continuity at ORH and will focus on strengthening collaboration, workforce capability and the sustainability of healthcare across East Gippsland to ensure that we continue to provide safe and effective care for our community.

By working more closely together, the arrangement will support stronger local services, greater sharing of knowledge and expertise, and opportunities to build the skills and capability of local teams.

Both health services will continue to operate as separate organisations, with independent Boards, governance responsibilities and local decision-making authority. Each health service will retain its own identity and community focus, with no immediate changes to services or employment arrangements.

ORH Board Chair Tabatha Jarman said the Board’s priority was to provide stability and continuity for ORH and the communities it serves.

“Vicki has made a significant contribution to Orbost Regional Health and to healthcare across our community, and we are enormously grateful for her leadership and commitment,” Mrs Jarman said.

“This arrangement provides continuity of leadership for ORH while allowing us to build on the strong health partnerships already in place.

“ORH will remain locally governed and focused on the needs of our community, with our priority continuing to be the delivery of safe, high-quality care close to home.”

BRHS Board Chair Professor Sandra Leggat said the arrangement provided an opportunity to strengthen the way the two health services work together.

“BRHS and ORH already collaborate across a number of areas to support healthcare across East Gippsland, and this arrangement allows us to build on that relationship while maintaining the separate governance and local focus of both health services,” Professor Leggat said.

“By working more closely together, we can strengthen local services and support more care to be provided closer to home where possible. It also creates opportunities to build the skills and capability of our local teams, strengthen leadership and workforce support, and improve the way we share knowledge and expertise across the region.

“Over time, that stronger collaboration will help both health services build more sustainable services for the communities we serve.”

The Boards said their shared priority remains the continuity of safe, high-quality and accessible care, while strengthening the capacity of both health services to respond to the needs of their communities.

The arrangement will commence following Ms Farthing’s retirement on 23 October.