About us

As Wellington Free Ambulance’s General Manager Clinical Quality, Dylan’s role involves overseeing the clinical governance unit, clinical education team and the medical directors (we have three, including Erica).

Dylan explains that “clinical governance is the system for overseeing quality and safety, and a range of other things that help us support excellence in our patient-facing work”. This means the team at Wellington Free, especially those in patient-facing roles, are always aware of patient safety and prioritising patient outcomes and experiences. Clinical quality forms a big part of our patient-centred approach.

A track record of improvements

Dylan originally trained as a metabolic paediatrician [a doctor who specialises in caring for children with inherited metabolic diseases] and clinical geneticist [a doctor who specialises in diagnosing and caring for people with genetic conditions]. Following his training, he worked as a doctor in his chosen fields for over 20 years.

Dylan explains that over his career he’s “taken on increasing management and leadership roles. These include in digital health, running hospital and community services, out-of-hospital services and consulting in Australia, New Zealand and parts of Europe, the Middle East and North America”. Throughout his career, Dylan has introduced complex strategic initiatives in various healthcare environments – experience that he’s now bringing to Wellington Free Ambulance.

Before joining Wellington Free, Dylan was an executive and clinical director of statewide women’s, children’s, child protection and neonatal services in Southern Adelaide, Australia. This varied role included “acute inpatient paediatrics [a hospital service that treats seriously ill children] and eating disorders, with a focus on neurodevelopmental and neurobehavioural genetics [the study of genes that influence the development and function of the nervous system]”.

“I was principal investigator and coordinating principal investigator for about 30 studies for about $12 million, both investigator-led and industry clinical studies, including studies reforming child abuse forensic responses in South Australia.”

Dylan believes his biggest success in that role was the “cultural, governance and financial turnaround of the services I led, using a frontline-clinician-led approach to redesign”.

Although he admits the “technical description is unexciting”, what it means is that “the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Executive Officer and I led a financial turnaround of the local health system. That meant over $110 million in increased investment for those communities in the 2024-25 financial year alone, which meant more investment in essential frontline healthcare services”.

Joining the Wellington Free Ambulance team

Dylan has strong ties to Wellington, having grown up here. His parents and family still live in the region. He has fond memories of Wellington Free, going back to the 80s.

He recalls “my first memory of Wellington Free Ambulance was in primary school in 1987, where I cut through a piece of paper, forgetting my thumb was underneath. At that time, people had forgotten about pressure and tourniquets, and so I was brought by ambulance to hospital to have my thumb stitched up”.

When Dylan was living and working in South Australia, he felt a pull to return to Aotearoa New Zealand. He also wanted “a challenge. My previous roles had included the equivalent to chief operating and chief medical officer roles, and although I have experience of both civilian and military out-of-hospital systems, the connection between Wellington Free and the community is undeniable”.

“This is the only health job I’ve worked in where people will stop me in the street and thank me for the work Wellington Free does”

Since joining Wellington Free in August 2024, Dylan has had many highlights. Dylan describes himself as “a curious person by nature” who likes to learn but also “likes to be surprised”.

Which is why he finds himself talking about the “exceptional level of work I’ve seen at Wellington Free – I’ve been surprised by how much we do with what we have and am impressed with the calibre of people we have”.

Having spent over 20 years in the healthcare system, Dylan reflects “this is the only health job I’ve worked in where people will stop me in the street and thank me for the work Wellington Free does. I’ve worked in 15 or so different hospital systems and this is a first”.

For Dylan, the one highlight he wants to focus on is The Lloyd Morrison Foundation Heartbeat CPR training programme – he’s impressed by “everything from Julie Nevett and The Lloyd Morrison Foundation’s level of commitment through to how organised the training and delivery system is”.

“The real highlight is that Heartbeat has helped improve health outcomes through community involvement.” [Dylan is referring to the increased number of bystanders performing CPR – cardiopulmonary resuscitation – helping people experiencing a sudden cardiac arrest (the sudden loss of all heart activity) in our region. It’s currently the highest in six years with 80% of people receiving CPR from a bystander.]

“For decades, healthcare has become quite advanced and even different medical disciplines can be quite different to each other, so it’s a pleasant surprise to see a programme that empowers communities to help one another.”

Life outside Wellington Free

When he’s not working, Dylan is a “very active person”. He’s well known throughout the organisation for cycling to and from work. Over time, he’s “moved from being a runner and road cyclist to increasingly taking on more mountain biking with my kids. Though I’m not game for the downhill tracks my son attempts (with a neck brace and full-face helmet!), I enjoy flowy tracks that are less technical.”

He’s also a fan of music but this is a “much longer discussion than we have time for!”

Thanks so much for your time Dylan and for being on our team!