International exposure

9 May 2008

Dealing with crocodile bites and tropical fevers, not to mention the aftermath of terrorist attacks and coup attempts, means life is never dull for staff at the innovative Royal Darwin Hospital.

THE Top End’s Royal Darwin Hospital (RDH) is an extraordinary facility – a dynamic leader and innovator in medicine, teaching and research that is recognised the world over.

It’s also an exciting place to hone your skills as a health professional, according to the hospital’s general manager Dr  Len Notaras.

Following the first Bali bombing response, the hospital was recognised by the Federal Government as being a national critical care and trauma centre, which complemented its existing role as the Top End’s principal teaching and tertiary referral centre.

The hospital embraces the Menzies School of Health Research, the only Australian health and medical research institute with a primary focus on the health of indigenous communities and people living in tropical and remote areas.

The 363-bed hospital also has close links with the 150- bed Darwin Private Hospital, the Centre for Disease Control, the NT Clinical School and Charles Darwin University.

“All these links are incredibly important in the diverse fabric of our health care,” Dr Notaras said.

“Our staff has the opportunity for a diverse professional adventure,” he said.

“We have a high retention rate amongst our senior medical and nursing staff because we certainly see a rich range of medical opportunities, from indigenous health and infectious diseases to disaster and trauma to paediatrics/ obstetrics and general health care.”

Dr Notaras was headhunted from Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital in 1994 and believed the Darwin experience would be a challenging career for one to two years. He is still there after 14 years.

“It’s quite infectious – you are learning and making a difference in what you are doing,” he said.

The hospital received international accolades after the 2002 Bali bombings when more than 70 critical burns and blast patients were airlifted from Bali to the hospital’s critical care and trauma centre.

“Our trauma centre emerged from our vast experience in responding to natural disasters such as the 1974 Cyclone Tracy, which levelled the city. We developed ongoing preparations not just for cyclones and earthquakes but for disaster response,” Dr Notaras said. “Our disaster response program won a national award in 2001.

“We used the same protocol to respond to the Bali bombings and were recognised nationally and internationally in saving all but one of the 70-plus victims. Our trauma centre received huge accolades as a result of that.

“Then in 2005 we treated 27 victims from the second Bali bombings – most of whom had penetrating injuries. We also responded to the 2007 Yogyakarta plane crash, the 2005 Banda Aceh tsunami, and the 2006 Timor shootings.

“In 1999 we provided medical screening and community services for more than 2500 Timorese who were sent here from East Timor during the independence riots.

“And just this year, our trauma centre won accolades for the splendid recovery of East Timor president Jose Ramos-Horta, who was shot in a coup attempt.

“He was a very important person with severe injuries and our trauma centre was chosen to save his life,” Dr Notaras said.

The hospital oversees a vast and remote community with the closest major hospital 3200km away.
 

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