State Chief Nurse Emma Saddington. Photo: Victorian Department of Health
Victoria’s Department of Health has announced the appointment of Emma Saddington as the state’s new Chief Nurse Officer. Emma commended in the role on 20 April 2026.
Emma is an accomplished executive nursing leader with extensive experience across clinical, operational and system-level reform in Victoria’s public and community health systems. She has a strong record in strengthening quality and safety, advancing workforce capability and governance, and leading contemporary models of care across emergency, trauma, surgical and community services.
A registered nurse with a significant background in emergency and trauma, Emma holds a Master of Health Administration, Master of Public Health, and Master of Nursing (emergency care). Serving as an Adjunct at Monash University, she brings strong academic and clinical credibility to her new role.
In addition to her frontline clinical experience, Emma has held numerous senior leadership positions across the public and private sectors, most recently as the senior nursing advisor at Safer Care Victoria. In this capacity, Emma led major statewide reforms including the co‑design and establishment of Victoria’s first governance framework for restrictive practices and the implementation planning for designated registered nurse prescribing.
She also played a key role in developing Australia’s first National Nursing Workforce Strategy, contributing system intelligence and implementation insights through collaboration with the Commonwealth and jurisdictions.
Internationally, Emma represents Australia as the current Global Nursing Leadership Institute scholar with the International Council of Nurses, and she serves as a national board director for the College of Emergency Nursing Australasia and chair of the board for Children of Cambodia Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation advancing sustainable primary education in rural Cambodian communities.
Emma has leadership and natural advocacy in her blood: her late father John Saddington was a dedicated unionist who never wavered in his support for working people.
Emma takes over the Chief Nurse Officer role from former Victorian Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer Karrie Long, whom ANMF (Vic Branch) congratulates on her contribution to the Victorian nursing and midwifery community. Karrie was key in the establishment and ongoing operation of the Victorian Nursing Midwifery Council and the Victorian Maternity Taskforce.
The state’s new Chief Midwife will be announced soon.
