News &
Updates

Grampians Health consultant anaesthetist Dr Daniel Alban has been working at the Stawell campus for only a few weeks but is already loving his role.

The visiting specialist works specifically with ear nose and throat surgeon Mr Niall McConchie and finds the experience very rewarding. Dr Alban also teaches professional practice with the University of Melbourne medical school so his part time role with Grampians Health allowed him the flexibility to take the Stawell position.

“Being an anaesthetist to Niall has worked out well for me in terms of timing,” Dr Alban said. “It gave me the chance to expand my practice and to work consistently with one surgeon. I also get more experience at the specialist level and I’m doing something a little bit niche which is ENT.

“I’ve also done a few covering shifts in Horsham with Grampians Health but that’s a little bit further and more challenging.”

Dr Alban said Stawell was not only a great fit for his work roster, but he found it to be a great place to work as well.

“It’s a lovely hospital and the operating suite team is a really cohesive group,” he said. “I’ve felt really included and I’ve been well supported by the senior nursing staff as well. It’s important that we support our smaller hospitals to keep them functioning at the highest level possible through all of these transitions and that we continue to provide as much service to these communities as we can.”

Dr Alban said he was aware of the importance of upskilling the Stawell campus team as much as possible.

“Recognising that I do have a specialty, it’s important when I come here, that I can provide education to the junior nurses and nurses doing post graduate training program.

“In a hospital the size of Stawell, you don’t necessarily get as much exposure to senior medical staff, and you don’t get that ability to have one-on-one teaching, so I try to provide as much of that as I can in the time that I am up here.

“I also want to ensure the people who are working here get as much out of their grad nursing training year as they possibly can and that they are skilled and engaged and active members of the team going forward.”

Stawell theatre ANUM Michelle Dunn said building a relationship with Ballarat operating suite specialists and team members had been very good for her team.

“Daniel has been particularly good for the nurses because he has challenged them at times and that has benefitted their learning greatly,” Ms Dunn said.

Dr Alban also provides his anaesthetic services to the Ballarat campus every week, working in pre-admission clinic, obstetrics, ENT, ophthalmology, general surgery, on-call and orthopaedics.

“I enjoy that work too but I’m very happy travelling up the road to Stawell,” he said. “It’s a nice change to my routine and I’m enjoying it very much.”