Lloyd McCann: Chief Executive Officer

Lloyd McCann

MSc Health Services Management, 2012

Based in: New Zealand

Formerly from: New Zealand

First job:

Mug-technician - making personalised novelty mugs.

Ambitions for the future:

To continue to contribute to New Zealand's health system, innovate and enhance care and outcomes for the patients I serve. Help the system shift to a more preventative and pro-active approach to health management, ultimately building a new model of care for primary care in New Zealand and internationally.

Chief Executive Officer at Tamaki Health

Describe your current role and what attracted you to it.

I’m the executive leader of a large, national primary care health network in New Zealand. Following time in clinical medicine, performance improvement, and digital health ,as well as building skills in health leadership, I have enjoyed contributing to improved health outcomes at scale through health leadership. Working in primary and community care is incredibly rewarding as primary care is the cornerstone of any health system.

What’s your favourite part of the role?

Working with our diverse teams to address challenges and opportunities to improve health outcomes for our patients and the communities we serve. There is great variety and diversity in my role.

What are the key skills you learnt at Warwick that have helped you with your career to date?

There was also great learning from group work and assignments where the diverse leaders from across the NHS and other healthcare organisations meant that experiential learning was facilitated.

Did you have a specific career path in mind when you chose to study at Warwick?

I always held an interest in health management and health leadership. The master’s programme was also recognised by my specialty college (Royal Australasian College of Medical Administrators), which assisted with attainment of my Fellowship with the College. So yes, the course had a direct impact on progression in a career in health management and leadership.

What top tips do you have for Warwick graduates who would like to work in your sector?

Health and healthcare are critical in our evolving societal context. We need the best and brightest to join our workforces to drive innovation, change, and sustainability to ensure we improve health outcomes at a population level. Enjoy and engage broadly in your time at University, then get involved wherever you can. We need novel and unique contributions to help solve some big challenges and wicked problems. International experience and work in different health contexts is invaluable to your learning as well.

What does a typical day look like for you?

There isn't really a typical day! I spend a lot of time in clinics with our frontline teams – engaging with our clinicians, administrators, and patients. This helps to keep me grounded in the reality of our work. I engage with my executive team and cross-functional teams on various strategic initiatives, planning, doing analysis, prioritising, and working through emergent challenges and opportunities. I spend time coaching, mentoring, and engaging with a wide range of team members. I engage with external stakeholders and colleagues around funding, procurement, pathways etc. My days are full, engaging, stimulating, and tiring!

What has been your greatest career challenge to date and how did your experience and skills help overcome it?

Leading a healthcare organisation through the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic. There were very few rulebooks or guides on how to navigate the pandemic, keep my teams safe, and still deliver high quality care to our patients. We came through the pandemic in good shape and it is clear that all the skills, knowledge, and tools in leadership and management helped me navigate that time. The social disconnection that team members experienced over that timeframe was significant and one of the key challenges we needed to overcome.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given in relation to your career?

Look after your people and your people will look after your organisation.

What should current students or recent alumni be doing to move their careers forward?

Focus on delivery. Show that you can get things done and work well in a team.

What do you know now that you wish you had known when you were applying for jobs?

It’s a good idea to sometimes just focus on the process rather than worry about the outcome too much. This way you're more open to learning and building experience rather than being solely focused on the result.