About the Chief Health Officer

Professor Brett Sutton is Victoria's Chief Health Officer. The Chief Health Officer undertakes a variety of statutory functions under health and food-related legislation. He also provides expert clinical and scientific advice and leadership on issues impacting public health.

Responsibilities

The Chief Health Officer:

• provides expert advice on matters relating to the health and wellbeing of the people of Victoria to:
  • the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services
  • senior leaders in the Department of Health
  • Emergency Management Victoria
  • the broader Victorian health sector
• issues health alerts and advisories to inform Victorians about health issues that may affect their health and safety
• performs the functions or powers specified in the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 or any regulations made under that Act
• is the spokesperson for the Victorian Government on matters related to health protection, including public health incidents and emergencies
• engages with the community on public health matters
• publishes a comprehensive report on public health and wellbeing in Victoria every two years.

About Professor Brett Sutton

Professor Sutton has extensive experience and clinical expertise in public health and communicable diseases, gained through emergency medicine and field-based international work, including in Afghanistan and Timor-Leste.

He represents Victoria on a number of key national bodies including the AHPPC (Australian Health Protection Principal Committee). He is also Chief Human Biosecurity Officer for Victoria. Professor Sutton has a keen interest in tropical medicine and the incorporation of palliative care practice into humanitarian responses.

Professor Sutton is a Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, a Fellow of the Australasian College of Tropical Medicine and a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine (AFPHM). He is also a member of the Faculty of Travel Medicine.

Deputy Chief Health Officer (Communicable Disease)

Associate Professor Deborah Friedman is the Deputy Chief Health Officer (Communicable Disease). The Deputy Chief Health Officer (Communicable Disease) provides expert clinical and scientific advice and leadership on communicable disease and public health. This role supports the Chief Health Officer and staff within the Health Protection Branch.

Responsibilities

The Deputy Chief Health Officer (Communicable Disease):

• leads the response to communicable disease incidents and emergencies
• acts as Chief Health Officer, in his absence
• engages with communicable disease clinicians
• provides expert advice on issues relating to communicable diseases to:
• the Chief Health Officer
• the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services
• senior leaders in the Department of Health
• Emergency Management
• the broader health sector.

About Associate Professor Deborah Friedman

A/Prof Deborah Friedman has extensive clinical and academic expertise in infectious diseases. She is a medical doctor in infectious diseases with over 20 years of experience. She has expertise and a keen interest in infection prevention and control, antimicrobial resistance and Buruli ulcer. She has supported the department’s COVID-19 pandemic response since July 2020.

A/Prof Friedman is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, a national examiner for the college, and conjoint Associate Professor and senior lecturer at Deakin University’s School of Medicine, Geelong. She holds qualifications including a Master of Public Health (University of North Carolina, NC, USA) and Doctorate of Medicine in Infection Control and hospital acquired infections (Monash University).

Deputy Chief Health Officer (Environment)

Dr Angie Bone is the Deputy Chief Health Officer (Environment). The Deputy Chief Health Officer (Environment) provides expert clinical and scientific advice and leadership on environmental public health issues. She supports the Chief Health Officer and staff within the Health Protection Branch.

Responsibilities

The Deputy Chief Health Officer (Environment):

• works closely with the Chief Health Officer and acts as Chief Health Officer in his absence
• engages with the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) and other external stakeholders
• provides expert advice on issues relating to environmental public health including climate, drinking water, legionella, radiation and food safety to:
  • the Chief Health Officer
  • the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services
  • senior leaders in the Department of Health
  • Emergency Management Victoria
  • the broader health sector.

About Dr Angie Bone

Dr Bone has a keen interest in the social and environmental determinants of health, particularly climate change and extreme weather events, housing and urban planning, global inequalities in health, and infectious diseases.

Dr Bone is a Fellow of Australian Faculty of Public Medicine of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and their UK equivalents, and holds Associate Clinical Professorships with Monash University and the University of Exeter (UK). She has worked in a number of international settings and holds numerous qualifications in Public Health and Tropical Medicine.