Health Minister Roger Cook has commended the work of Western Australia's State Health Incident Control Centre's (SHICC) outgoing Incident Controller, who will step down from the role next month.
Dr Robyn Lawrence - who has led the State's COVID-19 response for the past 15 months - has announced today that she has resigned from the position, effective from June 18, 2021.
Dr Lawrence, who started in the role in March 2020, has worked alongside the Chief Health Officer and public health team in the State Health Incident Control Centre, providing advice and support around clinical matters related to COVID-19.
This has included a key role in managing community and vessel outbreaks, overseeing the State's hotel quarantine system, developing COVID-19 outbreak plans for public and private hospitals, aged care facilities and the primary health care sector and, more recently, overseeing the rollout of WA's COVID-19 vaccination program.
Dr Lawrence has wide-ranging experience across WA Health - including as the Chief Executive of the North Metropolitan Health Service, the Child and Adolescent Health Service and the South Metropolitan Health Service.
She will finish in the SHICC role on June 18 and will return to WA Health after taking leave.
Dr Tudor Codreanu will be appointed as the new Incident Controller, after working as a medical advisor in the SHICC during the COVID-19 related State of Emergency.
He has extensive experience in disaster medicine, leading emergency responses as part of the Australian Medical Assistance Team.
This included COVID-19 deployments to Japan and Darwin and WA Medical Assistance Team (WAMAT) COVID-19 missions to co-ordinate accommodation and medical care for returning cruise ship passengers on Rottnest Island.
Dr Codreanu was also integral in the responses to vessel-related COVID-19 outbreaks on the MS Artania, Al Kuwait, Al Messilah, Key Integrity and Patricia Oldendorff.
Most recently, he led the WAMAT deployment to Kalbarri to help with recovery following Cyclone Seroja.
As stated by Health Minister Roger Cook:
"I would like to thank Dr Lawrence for her incredible service to our State over the past 15 months.
"She has shown strong and successful leadership during unprecedented and turbulent times and has made a huge contribution to keeping the Western Australian community safe.
"This is a gruelling, challenging role in which Dr Lawrence has excelled and we are fortunate she'll be returning to the WA health system.
"I would also like to welcome Dr Tudor Codreanu to the Incident Controller role.
"He brings a wealth of valuable experience to the position and I look forward to working with him as we continue to manage our COVID-19 response here in WA."
