Graeme Lynch will retire from his role as CEO of Heart Foundation Tasmania at the end of this year after 12 years of leadership.
Speaking from Melbourne, National Heart Foundation Group CEO Adjunct Professor John Kelly said that in over a decade with the organisation, Mr Lynch has been a powerful advocate in Tasmania, challenging policymakers to address aspects of heart health including tobacco use, physical inactivity, food and nutrition and equity in health.
“Graeme has been pushing for a ‘health in all policies’ approach to preventative health for a long time. He understands that minor alterations to the way local and state governments approach preventative health and community planning can make a huge difference to health outcomes for many people,” he said.
In 2019, Mr Lynch was awarded Membership of the Order of Australia, in part for service to community health through a range of roles. Recently he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship with the Planning Institute of Australia in recognition of the Heart Foundation’s significant achievements in legislative change in the planning system and championing healthy environments.
He oversaw the development of the Heart Foundation Statewide Cardiac Services Plan, which has been adopted as the guiding document of the Tasmanian Health Service Cardiac Network. In his role as Chair of the Premier’s Health and Wellbeing Advisory Council he saw the ratification of the ‘Tasmania Statement’, a state government commitment to preventative health and early intervention across all portfolios.
Professor Kelly said that Graeme’s efforts in Tasmania will leave a lasting legacy.
It will be difficult to replace Graeme’s local presence but the National Heart Foundation and the rest of the Tasmanian team is well placed to keep up the push for better heart health for all Tasmanians.
