After more than 30 years of outstanding service to NSW Health, including almost five years as Secretary, Ms Susan Pearce AM has advised me of her intention to retire at the end of March 2027.
Susan’s distinguished career has been defined by a lifelong commitment to public healthcare and to the people of New South Wales. Beginning her nursing career in Broken Hill almost four decades ago, she has served communities across rural, remote and metropolitan NSW, before later holding a range of senior leadership positions across the public health system.
She was appointed Secretary of NSW Health in February 2022, following more than six years as a Deputy Secretary. During this time, she led NSW Health’s operational response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including responsibility for the vaccine roll-out, hotel quarantine, and testing clinics.
Her leadership as Secretary has helped ensure NSW Health remains one of the world’s leading public health systems, responding to increasing demand for its services while maintaining its focus on delivering safe, high-quality care.
Susan has championed innovation, workforce development and contemporary models of care to build a more connected, responsive and sustainable health system. She has driven the adoption of new technologies, strengthened the state’s health and medical research capability, and led and supported many reforms to improve health outcomes for people across New South Wales.
She has a particularly strong and enduring commitment to improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people and, shortly after her appointment as Secretary, made the health system’s first formal apology to the Stolen Generations in 2022.
Susan’s leadership of NSW Health has always reflected a deep respect for and appreciation of her many colleagues throughout the public health system, and she has consistently recognised the extraordinary contributions of clinicians, support staff, researchers, administrators, managers and all those who work every day to provide safe, high-quality care for the people of New South Wales.
Known for her compassion and commitment to others, she has consistently championed kindness across NSW Health, including through the Small Acts of Kindness initiative, which continues to positively influence workplace culture throughout the organisation more than a decade after she first established it.
On a personal note, I want to thank Susan for all of her support and counsel during my time in the health portfolio – one of the largest and busiest public health systems in the world, overseeing 3.1 million emergency department presentations, 2 million inpatient episodes, 344,000 surgeries, and 1.4 million ambulance attendances, with over 170,000 staff across 228 public hospitals each year.
She has understood all too well the growing health needs for our community, and she has always worked tirelessly to support the Government and the health system in delivering the record investment, recruitment of health workers and construction of hospitals necessary to meet the scale of this challenge.
And during some of the most difficult moments confronting our health system, Susan has been a constant source of calm, clarity and compassion. It’s been reassuring to have her by our side.
I am grateful that Susan has committed to supporting a smooth and orderly transition to the next Secretary of NSW Health. I know she will continue to give the role her full and undivided attention as she continues to lead NSW Health in the coming months.
On behalf of the NSW Government, I extend my sincere thanks to Susan for her decades of dedicated public service and for her remarkable contribution to the health and wellbeing of the people of New South Wales.
