Thursday 1 October 2009
Royal Darwin Hospital's (RDH) highly regarded General Manager, Dr Len Notaras AM, will take up his new position as Executive Director of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre (NCCTRC) on Monday 5 October 2009.
Located at RDH, the NCCTRC has a central role in caring for seriously ill or injured patients who have experienced medical trauma in Australia's far north, including the Top End of the Northern Territory, coastal waters and nearby parts of the Indonesian archipelago, Timor-Leste and PNG.
Following the recent tragic events in Samoa and Sumatra, the NCCTRC has been asked to be part of the national emergency response, including the possible despatch of teams of medical, nursing and allied health to assist.
"Royal Darwin Hospital is the major tertiary care facility for northern Australia, with both a national and international reputation for its clinical capabilities," said Department of Health and Families Chief Executive, Dr David Ashbridge.
"The ongoing development of the National Critical Care and Trauma Response Centre is a major vote of confidence in Royal Darwin Hospital's high-level surgical and medical skills. Dr Len Notaras is an ideal choice to lead this unit, having the experience and professionalism to take this initiative forward."
In his new role, Dr Notaras will continue to be a member of the RDH Executive. He will relocate to the NCCTRC offices when their refurbishment is completed in late October 2009.
Dr Notaras has made a tremendous contribution to the ongoing development of RDH over the years and has led teams that coped superbly with such major challenges as the Bali bombings and the attempted assassination of East Timor's President, Jose Ramos-Horta.
"On behalf of the Department of Health and Families, I would like to formally thank Dr Len Notaras for his work in the role of General Manager RDH and for the major contribution he has made to the hospital's development in this and former roles," Dr Ashbridge said.
The position of RDH General Manager will be advertised in October 2009. Until a new appointment is made, Mr Alan Wilson, Deputy Chief Executive, Acute Care, will act as General Manager, spending much of his time at the RDH campus.
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Media contact: Kasey Brunt, RDH Media Officer, 0419 818 414, Robin Osborne, Director, DHF Media, 0488 692 781