Clinical Director of Mental Health & Addiction Services appointed

09 January 2009

We are very pleased to announce the appointment of Dr Samir Heble as Clinical Director of Mental Health and Addiction services says Joy Farley GM Hospital & Specialist Services.

Dr Heble has been a consultant psychiatrist at Taranaki DHB for six years and he is delighted to now be the Clinical Director for the service.

Dr Heble undertook further study after moving here from Goa in India six  years ago. “I got the results of my Psychiatry Fellowship papers from the Royal Australian  and NZ College of Psychiatry (RANZCP) at 7pm on December 5th and the close off for applications for the Clinical Director’s  job was 12 midnight , so I could apply that evening,” he said.

Becoming a Fellow was a goal he set and now he is hoping the Service will  be able to offer a Registrar training programme similar to what is offered for medical and surgical doctors at the DHB. “It would be great to be able to offer post graduate training, and that way people may stay here because they enjoy the environment and the work.”

 Dr Heble sees being Clinical Director as having a three prong approach. He works in close partnership with the Service Manager in achieving set targets. He says it involves developing the vision of the service and the organisation so the community gets the best services in relation to mental health and addictions. Clinically it means assessing the needs of the consumers and their families – working in partnership and offering evidence based treatment and thirdly administratively the role involves working to fill up any vacancies as they arise as well as addressing any gaps in the service. De Heble believes strongly in a model of care that is holistic and encompasses all dimensions :”biological –psychological –social -cultural-spiritual”.

Dr Heble is interested in strengthening ties with the NGO sector. He has also worked for 3 years in India as Project Director of a 30 bedded Drug Rehabilitation Centre  “I believe in working in partnership . I believe in focusing on strengths. My leadership style is one of collaboration  and I believe in trying to find the uniqueness and  grandeur in every person.”

Dr Heble and his wife, a software engineer, and two children enjoy the lifestyle in Taranaki. Dr Heble has interests in poetry (his Grandfather was a national poet in India), fashion (especially ties, he has 120 of them) architecture and water sports and has a penchant for the languages. He has a degree in French from Paris  which he used in India to teach at the Alliance Francaise de Goa , whilst working side by side as a doctor. His interest in languages has continued here with two years of study in Te Reo and he enjoys learning about Maori culture, even in relation to fashion.

“My children, however seem to have more Kiwi interests– they like cricket, soccer , rugby , the outdoors  and other kiwi things,” he smiles.

For more information please call

Sue Carrington
Media Adviser
Ph. 021 367 789