Hunter New England Local Health District Chief Executive, Michael DiRienzo, said Dr Ghazavi’s appointment is welcome news for the local community.
“Recruiting medical specialists in rural and regional areas is a challenge faced by many local health districts, so I’m extremely pleased to inform our community they will now have access to state-of-the-art medical care for ear, nose and throat issues closer to home,” he said.
“The team at John Hunter Hospital (JHH) in Newcastle had been providing public ENT services via an outreach model of care and virtual care. This approach often resulted in patients having to travel upwards of three hours for face to face assessments and surgeries.
“Staff at both hospitals have been hard-at-work transitioning patients on the JHH ENT waitlist that are living in Tamworth and surrounds. Both current and new patient referrals will be assessed by our outpatient service and referred to Dr Ghazavi if deemed clinically appropriate.”
With a national shortage of ENT specialists and many choosing to practise in metropolitan areas, Dr Ghazavi’s appointment is also long-awaited news for staff at Tamworth Hospital.
“Dr Ghazavi will be seeing inpatients and those admitted to Tamworth Hospital via the emergency department, so medical and nursing staff will have greater exposure to these sorts of procedures,” Mr DiRienzo said.
“Not only will the community benefit, but it’s also a great opportunity for medical and nursing staff to learn and upskill in a specialised area.” Since 2021, Dr Ghazavi has been working as an Otolaryngology Staff Specialist at John Hunter Hospital, however he is excited for this next challenge.
“My colleagues and the Tamworth community have been very welcoming, and I’m looking forward to getting started in this new role,” Dr Ghazavi said.
“It’s a privilege to be able to make a difference for my patients, help others develop their skills in the public health system and work in a new environment.”
Dr Ghazavi will commence his first ENT outpatient clinics from Monday.
For interview requests contact HNELHD-Media@health.nsw.gov.au or phone 0418 463 031.