They are Dr Konrad Kangru, of the Whitsundays’ region, and Dr Nadeem Siddiqui, former Executive Director of Medical Clinical Services at the North West Hospital and Health Service at Mt Isa.

They fill casual Director vacancies on the Board.

NQPHN Board co-chair Tara Diversi said the two appointments reinforced the Board’s commitment to providing a balanced mix of professions and skills.

The positions also adhere to the Board’s constitution that stipulates that at least two Board Directors are general practitioners.

“We are delighted to welcome Konrad and Nadeem to the Board,” said Ms Diversi.

“Their extensive career and professional qualifications make them a perfect fit for NQPHN.

“Konrad is already well versed with the operations and governance of NQPHN in his role as former Clinical Council Chair.

“He is also at the challenging coalface of GP primary care, with a particular focus on primary care in rural and remote communities.

“Nadeem is an experienced medical administrator, both in Australia and overseas, and led the medical team at a busy regional hospital at Mt Isa.

“He is passionate about health service innovation and reform that leads to sustainable positive health outcomes for the wider community.”

Dr Kangru gained his MBBS from University of Queensland in 2000, has been in private Rural General Practice in the Whitsundays region of Queensland since 2005, where he has been a GP Supervisor and Medical Educator since 2009.

He has remained a very active advocate for improving the support of rural doctors, currently as Co-Chair of the Statewide Rural and Remote Clinical Network, and also having served as President and prior Conference Convenor of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland. Dr Kangru has also undertaken and presented his research on the Self-Care of rural doctors, and has special interests in Medical Education and Diabetes management, particularly in up-skilling colleagues about this important condition.

Dr Nadeem is originally from the United Kingdom where he trained at the University of Cambridge for his medical degree, becoming a general practitioner in 2002.

He has a keen interest in medical administration, leading services within the UK, Gulf and, now Australia, since 2013.

He has taken up executive director roles for an Aboriginal medical service in Canberra, Latrobe community health services in Victoria and is currently the Executive Director Medical Clinical Services for North West Hospital and Health Services at Mount Isa. As from August 1 he will start a new role as clinical director for West Moreton Hospital and Health Service in Brisbane.