ED head committed to expanding
The new Head of the Emergency Department (ED) at Grampians Health Horsham wants to increase the medical capability of the department.
Dr Peter Carter wants to improve the quality of the decision making as well as the diagnostic skill and the accuracy that is provided to ED patients.
“My priority is to expand the capability of the facility and eventually its physical footprint, so we can provide better care for emergencies presenting at Horsham,” Dr Carter said.
“Part of our plan is to develop our ED into a training department. It already has a training role for students, but we want to expand it to be training emergency doctors as part of their accredited training.
“Until recently the department has been heavily reliant on locum doctors and junior doctors rotating from Melbourne. While they still provide an important and valued service, we have started to appoint more senior and permanent staff and will continue to do that.
“For example, we now have seven emergency specialists that are regularly working at Horsham ED. These are very experienced doctors who have completed a minimum of six years of rigorous training in managing emergency conditions.
“They are working here most days and evenings and are on call overnight as well to support our night doctors. We also have the assistance of an emergency Telehealth service to support decision making overnight.
“Grampians Health has been strongly supportive of this expansion of expertise, and this is an example of a significant benefit to this region from the amalgamation.”
Dr Carter said Grampians Health was also providing a Telehealth stroke service in Horsham’s ED.
“This has greatly increased our ability to provide an acute urgent stroke service.”
Dr Carter said he was impressed with the quality of medical equipment available in Horsham’s ED.
“The support from community groups toward the ED team, especially by donating funds for equipment used here, is very special and we are fortunate that these groups recognise the importance of the work that we do here,” he said.
“We are constantly needing to upgrade equipment, so we are using the latest technology available to deliver care that is responsive to community needs.
Dr Carter has a strong connection to the local community, having been born and raised in Hopetoun.
“I have family in Horsham, Hopetoun and Stawell so my connection to the area is strong which makes this role a pleasurable commitment for me,” he said.
Dr Carter worked as a GP in Stawell for 15 years before training as an emergency specialist in Melbourne where he spent a further 15 years at various hospital emergency departments including the Aldred, Monash and Frankston Hospital where he was an emergency specialist for five years.
Grampians Health Chief Operating Officer Ben Kelly said Dr Carter’s appointment to the Horsham campus was an important one for the region.
“Horsham has the only Emergency Department within a 200km radius, and the team working there do an outstanding job,” Mr Kelly said.
“Peter’s medical leadership is an important attribute that will help build the service in delivering safe, connected and person-centred care. His appointment is a perfect example of how Grampians Health is growing its capability to deliver services to the Horsham region.”
