On August 25 2022, the Council of Deans of Nursing and Midwifery (Australia & New Zealand) was delighted to host the Opening of the National Placement Evaluation Centre (NPEC) webinar.

With record numbers of over 300 registrations and 160+ attendees, we thank everyone who joined us, as well as the webinar's Chair, Professor Fiona Stoker, and presenters Professor Simon Cooper, Professor Karen Strickland, Anthony Dombkins and Megan Fitzgerald for sharing their knowledge and expertise while introducing the Centre. We also thank Professor Marie Gerdtz for concluding the session by leading a lively Q&A panel discussion.

Watch the Recording:

Chair, Clinical Professor Fiona Stoker

Managing Director, HESA, RN, DipN(London) BBUS (Marketing and Human Resources),

Grad Cert Public Sector Management, MBA

Professor Fiona stoker is the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council (ANMAC) and has held this position since November 2014. Fiona is also the Managing Director of HESA. Prior to this, Fiona was the Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer for the Tasmanian Department of Health, a position she held for over 10 years. In this role, Fiona was a member of the ANMAC Board for a period of 3 1/2 years.

Fiona has a broad range of nursing experience in Australia and in the UK and has worked within the Acute Care and Community environments. Fiona has also undertaken work in associated health care environments in Tasmania, including Correctional Health and Youth Justice. Fiona has also been a member of a number of National Committees and Boards, including the Health Advisory Committee, Australian Health Ethics Committee, Health Workforce Australia and the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council Boards. Fiona also holds a clinical title as Clinical Professor at the University of Tasmania.

Professor Simon Cooper. Director HITC 

Professor Simon Cooper is a health professional who has worked in emergency care in the UK and Australia. He is an experienced senior manager, with a PhD in Leadership Studies and 40 years' work in the clinical and academic fields. He has led innovative education and research programs across the world in the field of advanced practice development, patient safety, emergency care, leadership, teamwork, education and clinical simulation. He is the inaugural Director of the National Placement Evaluation Centre (NPEC) and the Co-Director of the Health Innovation and Transformation Centre at Federation University.

ACT Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer Anthony Dombkins

Anthony Dombkins until appointed the ACT Health Chief Nursing and Midwifery Officer in January 2020 was the Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Northern Sydney Local Health District. Anthony Dombkins graduated as a Registered Nurse in 1987 and holds postgraduate clinical certificates in Renal and Transplantation Nursing and Intensive Care Nursing, as well as a Masters, Health Management (UNE). Anthony Dombkins has held a variety of senior health management positions within the public and private health sectors across NSW.  In June 2014, Anthony Dombkins was appointed an Adjunct Professor – Nursing at the University of Sydney and the Australian Catholic University. Anthony Dombkins was a member of the Clinical Excellence Commission Advisory Board and a Board Director for Stewart House.

Ms Megan Fitzgerald

Megan has 10+ years' experience working within Aged Care as a senior Personal Care Attendant and involved with students, staff training and workplace quality improvement. Megan is currently studying full time Bachelor of Nursing at Federation University and has a passion for research and quality improvement. Megan became involved in the National Placement Evaluation Centre in 2021 as a nursing student representative continuing throughout her degree.