THE Werribee Mercy Hospital has two recent additions to its hospital management team.
Dr John Pasco is the hospital’s emergency department director, and Louisa Ramudu, its special-care nursery manager.
Dr Pasco said he was keen to move on from the negative publicity that engulfed the emergency department much of last year over alleged staffing and morale problems.
“Having a full-time permanent director is good for the hospital and good for the community,” he said.
The department lost up to six emergency doctors over the year and was forced to close for one overnight shift when rostered doctors called in sick.
An emergency department director was appointed in mid-2006, but soon resigned.
Dr Pasco said the hospital now has eight doctors on each roster, 24 hours a day.
“I’m aware of the challenges, but it’s all well behind us,” he said.
One of the hospital’s main objectives now is to establish a $2-million medical school with the Sydney campus of University of Notre Dame.
About 25 medical students a year are expected to complete the last two years of a four-year program in Werribee by 2009, increasing their chance of staying in the area.
“Recruiting doctors is a big problem everywhere – not just in this region,” he said.
Formerly deputy director of emergency services at Barwon Health in Geelong, Dr Pasco is also interested in refining patient flow through the 25-cubicle department.
The hospital treats about 36,000 emergency patients a year, but as part of its recent $10-million upgrade, it was expanded to handle up to 50,000.
Many patients continue to come to emergency as non-urgent cases because of the area’s ongoing doctor shortage.
A previous plan to co-locate general practitioners in the emergency department has been abandoned for the time being.
“It’s not planned in the foreseeable future because it’s been tried unsuccessfully in other hospitals,” he said.
Dr Pasco also dismisses suggestions that psychiatric emergency patients be treated in segregated wards.
“Mental health patients have as much right to be treated as everyone else,” he said.
Meanwhile, Ms Ramudu, a neo-natal nurse, is for the first time working in Werribee – the same place she has lived for 20 years – after a long career in various Melbourne hospitals and overseas.
“I’ve watched this area grow and change,” she said.
“It’s wonderful to be finally be working here.”
The specialised nursery cares for nearly 300 babies a year, who need drips, oxygen or antibiotics at birth.
“We deal with the most vulnerable of patients and families who often need psychological, emotional and spiritual support.”
The nursery can attend to 12 babies at a time, who stay from anywhere from one day to one month.
