Former New Zealand hospital head Sue De Gilio has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Barwon Health in Geelong.

Ms De Gilio has both a clinical rehabilitation and health management background.

She has an extensive history of leadership in health services in the United Kingdom and New Zealand over the past 15 years.

She has held a number of board level management positions in the south west of England including Deputy Chief Executive of Exeter Health Service and Chief Executive of Plymouth Health Services.

More recently she was Chief Executive of Good Health Wanganui in New Zealand.

Ms De Gilio was expert adviser to the World Health Organisation (WHO) in the 1970s and has worked extensively with several international groups on rehabilitation consultancy in South Africa, East Africa, South America and the Philippines.

While in New Zealand and previously in the UK, Ms De Gilio held several national advisory appointments to government on health issues.

She was recently involved in the Australian Hospital Study which has looked at co-location, management of emergency departments, diagnostic services, theatre and critical care units in Tasmania and Sydney.