| Honorific-Prefix: | Dr |
| Arthur Metcalfe | |
| Office1: | Director-General of the Department of Health |
| Term Start1: | 20 October 1947 |
| Term End1: | 1 September 1960 |
| Birth Name: | Arthur John Metcalfe |
| Birth Date: | 26 June 1895 |
| Birth Place: | Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |
| Death Place: | Harbord, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Public servant |
| Nationality: |  Australian |
| Alma Mater: | University of Sydney |
Dr Arthur John Metcalfe (26 June 189524 March 1971) was a senior Australian public servant, best known for his time as Director-General of the Department of Health.
Metcalfe was born in Newcastle on 26 June 1895 to English-born parents.
In October 1947, Metcalfe was appointed Commonwealth Director-General of Health, having been Acting-Director-General for more than a year prior after the illness and death of former Director-General Frank McCallum.[1] He led the Department implementing the National Health Act 1953, which consolidated the hospital, pharmaceutical and medical benefits schemes operated by the Australian Government.
He retired from the position in 1960.[2] In 1961 he took on an appointment as consultant to Lederie Laboratories Products.[3]
Metcalfe died on 24 March 1971 in Sydney, aged 76.[4]
In 1947, Metcalfe was awarded a Rockefeller Foundation scholarship and spent four months studying national health schemes in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Europe.[3]
Metcalfe was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1954 for services as Director-General of health and quarantine.