General News
29 September, 2025
Health service CEO temporarily departs region for Mackay
Sean Birgan has taken a secondment on the coast for an undisclosed period of time.
The North West Hospital and Health Service could be without its CEO for months after Sean Birgan accepted a secondment as interim CEO of the Mackay Hospital and Health Service.
North West HHS board chair Cheryl Vardon said Mr Birgan would “undertake a short secondment” from October 13.
However, no exact timeframe was put on his absence.
North West Weekly made an official enquiry and was told by a spokesperson: “The secondment is intended to be short-term, though the exact end date has not yet been confirmed. We will keep you and the community updated if there are any changes to the arrangements.”
Chief operating officer Andrew Quabba will sit in Mr Birgan’s chair during his absence.
Ms Vardon said the arrangements would ensure continuity for patients, staff and communities across the North West.
“On behalf of the board, I thank Sean for supporting a fellow health service and I thank Andrew for stepping into the chief executive role. The board has confidence in the leadership team and in the dedication of our staff to keep delivering safe, high-quality care,” she said.
Mr Birgan said he was grateful for the opportunity.
“North West HHS has an exceptional workforce and strong leaders. I am appreciative of the board’s support, and I know the service is in very capable hands while I assist Mackay for a short period,” he said.
Mr Quabba said continuity would remain the focus.
“Our services will operate as normal, and our priorities remain unchanged. I look forward to supporting our teams as we continue to deliver safe, reliable care across the region,” he said.
The North West HHS said there would be no impact to patient services as a result of the acting arrangements.