Welcome to our new HARU Doctors

The next group of High Acuity Response Unit (HARU) doctors have started working from Kedron Headquarters to not only provide their skills to our teams, but also to gain their own experience of working within the QAS workforce.

Welcome Doctors , Bec Brady, Vanessa Whiting and Rowan McCarthy.

Dr Bec Brady

Dr Bec Brady:

When did you start with QAS?

February 2022.

Where were you working beforehand?

I was based in Brisbane, working for LifeFlight at the Brisbane bases, FIFO to Royal Flying Doctor Service in Cairns doing Telehealth and Retrievals in the Cape, and also at Greenslopes Emergency Department after having done a majority of my ED training at the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital.

Why did you choose to work with us?

I have been working for retrieval organisations for the past year and have an interest in the pre-hospital environment, so I wanted to continue to increase my exposure to assessing and managing highly complex medical and trauma patients. HARU is such a well‐known and respected team both inside and outside QAS that the opportunity to work alongside them as part of the team on road is a privilege.

How are you finding the change of work so far?

There has been a learning curve familiarising myself with new equipment and procedures, but I am enjoying the challenges being involved so early in a patient’s journey has offered.

What are some of the biggest differences from your previous jobs?

The in-depth feedback, debriefing and auditing following every case is a very rewarding learning experience and helpful in the processing of the job and its outcome.

What do you hope to get out of this role professionally?

As a newly qualified ED consultant I hope this role helps to build on my clinical knowledge and shape my current practices to then take back and use in the Emergency Department to be more experienced in the Pre-hospital-to-ED interface.

What do you like to do in your downtime?

I like to explore new brunch places with friends and my partner, go to the beach or go on a hike. I also enjoy snowboarding, so am very much looking forward to the opportunity to travel again without too many restrictions.

Dr Rowan McCarthy

Dr Rowan McCarthy

When did you start with QAS?

I started in early February this year.

Where were you working beforehand?

Based on the Sunshine Coast, working between the three EDs in Sunshine Coast Hospital and Health Services (Gympie, Nambour, and Sunshine Coast University Hospital).

Why did you choose to work with us?

So many reasons. The case mix provides the opportunity to work on the sickest patients in challenging circumstances. The clinical governance and audit process provides an excellent opportunity to improve my practice. And the opportunity to work with highly competent and motivated individuals within a well-regarded organisation was very appealing… just to name a few.

How are you finding the change of work so far?

It has been a good challenge so far. There are lots of things to learn and processes to familiarise myself with, so it has been rewarding so far.

What are some of the biggest differences from your previous jobs?

The uniform… lots of places to hang things, and the pockets are nice.

What do you hope to get out of this role professionally?

I am hoping to hone my clinical evaluation of patients and broaden my experience with critically unwell patients.

What do you like to do in your downtime?

Try to stop my kids becoming patients!

Dr Vanessa Whiting

Dr Vanessa Whiting

When did you start with QAS?

I commenced with QAS on 7 February this year and will be with HARU for 12 months.

Where were you working beforehand?

I am currently employed 0.5 part time with HARU. I do week on, week off. My other job is as an ED consultant at Redland Hospital where I continue to work 0.5 on the alternate week to my QAS week. I have done some retrieval medicine with LifeFlight prior to working with QAS and have just started learning to be a medical co-ordinator at RSQ.

Why did you choose to work with us?

I knew QAS HARU is the busiest prehospital service for doctors in Australia and the experience I would gain here would be second to none. I wanted to improve my prehospital management of critically unwell or injured patients.

How are you finding the change of work so far?

Challenging but fun. I’m learning a lot on every shift. The CCPs have been so welcoming and helpful. I admire how they can think quickly, always moving forward, aiming to get the patient the immediate intervention they need, or to definitive care.

What are some of the biggest differences from your previous jobs?

The code one driving! I have always been a passenger in a helicopter or RFDS plane, totally able to concentrate on case before arriving at the patient. Now there is a lot of concentration on the road to ensure you arrive safely! The small and ever-changing teams are also amazing. In the hospital, you know who you are working with and are resource rich. On the road, different crews communicate so well and do so much.

What do you hope to get out of this role professionally?

I hope to gain confidence in approaching the most injured and sick patients, learning from those around me who have a phenomenal amount of experience. I hope my learning while working at QAS will make me the best prehospital doctor I can be.

What do you like to do in your downtime?

Spend time with my family. I have a husband and two kids at home (6yrs and 3yrs) who keep me pretty busy. Otherwise, the pandemic has meant we haven’t been able to travel much, so spending time gardening helps me escape and unwind.