Dr Michael Cleary has had a long and illustrious career in Queensland Health from his clinical life on the frontline of healthcare to his significant investment into administration and innovation within the health system.
The current Chief of People, Engagement and Research at Metro South Health, the man with the golden stethoscope and the million-dollar smile, has dedicated 41 years into people throughout the health system leaving a legacy of improvement, kindness and humour.
But his connection with his spiritual home of Princess Alexandra Hospital (PAH) is a historical foundation that set the course of his long-term medical career in Queensland. In the year the major hospital on the southside was named Princess Alexandra Hospital, baby-doctor Michael Cleary was born. Although he started his intern year at the Southport Hospital, he really started his medical career at PAH where he met his lifelong partner Carol while caring for a ventilated patient in radiology, participated in Australia’s first successful liver transplant, and was awarded the coveted Buchanan Prize for the highest score in the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine Fellowship Exam. Having received his fellowship in 1989, he will forever wear the badge as the youngest Fellow of the College given changes made to the training program in subsequent years.
“There was a time that I thought I wanted to be a surgeon. As the surgical resident on call, a very junior role, I was asked to come in to work to assist in theatre with a transplant,” Michael said. “It was news to me that we even did liver transplants – this was also news to the world as it was announced in the paper several weeks later that PAH had done Australia’s first successful liver transplant and I chanced to be there in my very small way holding a retractor to assist this amazing team.”
Michael changed gears to do Emergency Medicine, seduced by the excitement of medical retrievals, jumping from helicopters, and travelling off to the islands for retrievals. This would set the tone for Michael’s career for several years in Emergency, chasing the action – all the while doing a minimum of 50-hour weeks on rotation through the day, evening and night shifts. It was during this era of his training that he won the gold medal for the highest marks in the Emergency Fellowship exam, was celebrated by the PAH clinical leadership with a special surprise celebration and bestowed the ‘golden stethoscope’ (pictured) which he still has to this day.
“I ended up being the youngest Medical Officer in Charge during this time at PAH, and when I moved to QEII a mere five years after graduating as a doctor, I ended up as the Acting Director of Emergency Medicine AND the Acting Director of Medical Services at the same time.”
There is an infectious enthusiasm and energy to Michael that immediately impresses many people, and it is this pursuit of understanding everything, a motivation to meet everyone and get the best out of them that saw him transition through a variety of key medical administration positions in hospitals and the health system where he continued to touch on needy areas of their service and turn them to gold.
He was poached by the Department of Health from The Royal to lead a project in elective surgery and emergency medicine, spent time as the Medical Superintendent at Toowoomba Hospital, a sojourn to The Prince Charles Hospital, a memorable stint at Logan Hospital in the early years, and even more stints leading policy change and innovations in Queensland Health. During this time, he was involved in implementing the computer system for operating theatres (ORMIS) which was a foundational system contributing to Digital Hospital, HR systems, Surgery Connect, quality systems and engagement activities across the health and ambulance space in the pursuit of clinical efficiency.
Michael’s return to Metro South Health in 2016 created a home base but no reduction in the vigour with which he moved in and out of roles and projects across the HHS, infusing influence on policy and leadership while continuously putting people at the forefront of decisions.
Metro South Health Chief Executive, Noelle Cridland describes Michael as a one-and-only with an extraordinary contribution to Queensland.
“His genuine delight in working with everyone regardless of their role has left an indelible mark on all of us. Those times when Michael was able to squeeze in a dad-joke are going to be missed – as are the 4am text messages, the first email of the day, the first and last phone calls most days,” she said. “He was always looking out for us, always knew exactly who to call, and has been an extraordinary support to Metro South, its people and to me. His legacy will continue to inspire us.”
Michael’s most recent legacy is his foray into the world of social media as an influencer of health inspired millennial language where his viral reel disseminated by the Queensland Health and Metro South Health media teams has amassed over 230,000 views on Instagram. #slay #hibesties
Michael exemplifies the best the Queensland health system has to offer with widely acclaimed affection and admiration for his loyalty, collaboration, strategic drive, ceaseless enthusiasm, networking prowess, and influence in the health and policy space.
Thank you, Dr Michael Cleary. Your legacy will be felt for years with many reminders of the impact you have had on all who have been privileged to work with you.