If Royal North Shore’s Head of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Professor Michael Nicholl was hoping to leave his position quietly, his colleagues had other ideas.

On his last clinical day, the maternity services staff donned on t-shirts with Michael’s face emblazoned on the front to send him off.

Michael has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the Clinical Excellence Commission (CEC).

Michael has a clinical career of over 40 years, 30 of which have been in specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist roles and 15 years as a senior clinician. 

Before taking on the role at the CEC, Michael was the clinical professor at RNSH’s department of obstetrics and gynaecology and the NSLHD’s maternal, neonatal and women’s health network clinical director.

Michael is well renowned for his national leadership in quality and safety of maternity services and was also the first Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) Fellow to gain admission as Fellow of Australasian Association for Quality in Health Care.

NSLHD Chief Executive Deb Willcox said the district and RNSH are leaders in maternal care because of Michael. 

“His care of thousands of mothers, families and their new borns can never be fully acknowledged. We have truly benefited from Michael’s leadership, expertise and commitment to promoting excellence in safety and quality in clinical care, for consumers, their families and our staff has been so very special,” she said.