Dr Nel is originally from Johannesburg in South Africa and has been in Australia for little more than a decade.
He said he had worked in several relatively small health services across Australia and New Zealand and in Melbourne and had been delighted in what he had so far experienced in Horsham.
“Everything is quite new,” he said.
“My interest is the challenge of trying to provide services that in a small community can be easier in making an impact. I also have two daughters in Melbourne so I wanted to be closer to them – that was also a big attraction.
“My main focus is to improve services for Horsham district with a particular focus on our emergency department, which is quite short of medical staff.
“We’re advertising for an emergency services director and clinical director and will look at orthopaedic services, which are almost non-existent.”
Dr Nel said he was impressed with his initial impressions of Horsham and the Wimmera.
“I had no idea the Wimmera River was so attractive – it’s absolutely beautiful. I’m impressed with the whole region, it is a very nice part of the world,” he said.
Dr Nel, who replaces former acting medical services director Robert Pegram, has signed on in his position for at least three years.
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