VPRS 19274 Medical Superintendent Conferences and Meeting Minutes

This series comprises minutes of meetings and conferences between the Royal Melbourne Hospital Medical Superintendent / Director of Medical Services and the hospital’s internal department heads and managers. From 1881 the senior medical position at the Royal Melbourne Hospital was known as the Medical Superintendent. It was usually a position held by a senior Resident Medical Officer for two or three years. From the mid-1940s, the role became more of an executive position with longer tenure and greater responsibilities including clinical governance and the administration of clinical units. In 1971 the role title was changed to Medical Administrator, then to Director of Medical Services in 1976. The meetings and conferences minuted in this series were hosted by the Medical Superintendent and included department heads and heads of clinical units including medical, surgical, Allied Health departments, and investigational services. Topics of discussion included items of interest to both clinical and administrative departments including management structure, patient services, new clinical services, disaster planning, trials of medical equipment, and new buildings.