15 December 2004
Alice Springs Appoints First Director ICU
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Peter Toyne MLA
Minister for Health
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The Territory Government has appointed Alice Springs Hospital ’s first director of the Intensive Care/High Dependence Unit (ICU/HDU).
Intensivist Dr Sydney Jacobs has accepted an initial one year contract with the possibility of an extension for five years.
Minister for Health Dr Peter Toyne said the employment of Dr Jacobs will lead to a better level of medical care for acute patients in the region.
“The appointment, a key commitment of the Building Healthier Communities Framework, replaces the long-standing system of using locum intensivists in the role,” Dr Toyne said.
“Dr Jacobs’ appointment provides unified direction in terms of the management of patients, as well providing greater stability in terms of leadership of the medical team.”
“He will be able to ensure the medical team works together to provide an even greater level of medical care,” Dr Toyne said.
Dr Jacobs has previously worked as an intensivist in the United Kingdom and in Perth , WA ; as well as spending 10 years as the head of ICU in a Saudi Arabian military hospital.
“I am looking forward to the challenge of welding the ICU/HDU team into an even tighter unit,’’ Dr Jacobs said.
“It is an exciting opportunity and one that will result in better health care for people of the region.”
This latest recruitment comes just weeks after Dr Rod Mitchell was appointed the Head of Anaesthetics at Alice Springs Hospital .
Alice Springs Hospital ’s ICU/HDU was recently upgraded with $228,000 worth of equipment.
The upgrade includes five new electric beds, a b ipap machine which assists with ventilation, blood infusion warmer, syringe driver, a difficult intubation trolley, and a ventilator.
The new equipment is part of an $11 million upgrade over the next four years to improve the Intensive Care Unit / High Dependency Unit.