Executive team

Ben Edwards -General Manager Mid-West Region

Ben Edwards was appointed to the position of Chief Executive Officer of St John of God Murdoch Hospital in April 2017. He was previously Acting CEO at St John of God Mt Lawley Hospital and prior to this role, he led the Transformation Team’s innovative work on the One Pathology Program, Procedural Areas Transformation Program and Business Analytics and Reporting Program.

Ben’s early career involved six years in the NHS in the UK. He completed their graduate management program and ran all clinical services across a multi campus NHS Trust.

He then spent 10 years in health care consulting in the UK and Australia with Ernst and Young and PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Phillip Balmer – Chief Executive Officer and Director of Nursing

Phillip Balmer was appointed to the dual role of Chief Executive Officer and Director of Nursing in November 2021. Phillip has had an exceptional career in New Zealand and internationally, holding several roles as director of nursing and in senior management positions, which has seen him emerge as a respected nursing and executive leader of healthcare services.  

Prior to this role, Phillip has worked to strengthen services delivered to poor or rural communities and to Zealand’s local indigenous Maori people and to the Pacific communities.  

He has also worked as the Director of Hospital Services at Counties-Manukau District Health Board, a large service provider in Auckland, was national Chair of the District Health Board COO group, and the NZ representative of the Board of the Healthcare Roundtable.  Phillip has extensive experience in strengthening the synergies between hospital, primary and community services and between public and private healthcare services.  

Alison Dawson - Director of Mission Integration

Alison Dawson has a long association with the Sisters of St John of God and St John of God Geraldton Hospital. Since joining the hospital in 1973, she has held several supervisory roles at the hospital and was appointed Director of Mission in 2002.

In this role, Alison is the principal resource person for caregivers in leading their understanding and participation in the healing mission of Jesus, through the mission and values of St John of God Health Care. Alison also oversees the delivery of our pastoral care and volunteer services.