About Joe

Dr Joe McGirr has established an impressive and respected career in emergency medical care and hospital administration, with a history of service to the region of over 20 years.

Joe came to Wagga Wagga in 1984 as a junior doctor and after many return trips during his training settled here in 1991 as Director of the Emergency Department. Joe is married to Dr Kerin Fielding who is an Orthopaedic Surgeon practicing in Wagga Wagga. They have raised four children here: Lara 19, Natasha, 16, Dylan, 13, and Anna, 11.

As a family man and through his family’s involvement in the social, artistic and sporting life of the community, Joe is acutely aware of people’s concerns, such as:

~ Law and order and the effects of violence
~ The rising cost of living, especially soaring electricity charges
~ The need to grow our region

In his work, Joe has travelled extensively throughout the region; firstly as he retrieved sick patients working alongside the ambulance service, and then later on in his administrative role with the health service. He has met with local communities, councils and politicians, nurses, doctors, and allied and other health practitioners.

Joe has many achievements, such as:
~ establishing public chemotherapy at the Riverina Cancer Centre
~ accommodating the Rural Clinical School on the hospital campus
~ improving public access to Cardiac Catheters and X-Ray services

For the last few years, Joe has worked on the redevelopment project of the Wagga Wagga Base Hospital and has tried extensively to bring about the best possible health outcomes for the people of the region.