In a first for an Australian retailer, Woolworths Group has appointed a chief medical officer to help the company respond to COVID-19.
Dr Rob McCartney takes up the specialised and technical leadership role and will providing direct input into the Woolworths board and its relevant sub-committees as well as the group executive committee.
Woolworths Group Safety, Health & Wellbeing general manager Brian Long said the appointment will help build on the group’s existing COVIDsafe protocols.
“There is a plethora of medical information and advice to consider in the planning and implementation of a COVID safe workplace. This appointment ensures we have an internal expert, with a grounding in medical advice, to help make well informed long-term decisions on the safety and wellbeing of our teams and customers,” Long said.
McCartney has more than 20 years of experience in occupational medicine.
The role also includes engaging with regulatory authorities and state and federal health departments, and the development of ongoing educational materials for team members.
McCartney said: “With my experience as a physician working at the interface of health and work, I look forward to assisting Woolworths in maximising the health, wellbeing and safety of its team members and customers.
“Given the scale of current public health challenges, I’ll be looking to hit the ground running. Together with the safety and leadership teams, I’ll be focused on implementing best practice COVID-19 risk management across the business as we navigate the pandemic.”
Long said: “As Australia’s largest private employer serving millions of customers each week, it has never been more important to have informed medical based input into our decisions around occupational health and hygiene and public health.
“Dr McCartney’s appointment will ensure we keep at the forefront of occupational health, hygiene and public health policy as it relates to COVID-19, while upholding the highest possible health and hygiene standards across our supermarkets, distribution centres, and support offices.”
