Blackall Hospital Senior Medical Officer Dr Mikala Dales has been appointed as the new Director of Medical Services at the hospital.
Dr Dales replaces Dr Karyn Matterson who has left the role to relocate to Tasmania.
Dr Dales first joined Blackall Hospital in February 2024, at the same time as Dr Matterson joined the hospital as Director of Medical Services.
She formally takes up her new Director of Medical Service position from 8 February.
Dr Dales said she looked forward to continuing to serve the Blackall and Tambo communities in her new role.
She also paid tribute to Dr Matterson for her strong leadership and support over the past couple of years.
“I wish her and Simon all the very best in pursuing their new challenges in Tasmania,’’ she said.
Central West Hospital and Health Service Executive Director of Medical Services Dr David Walker said Dr Dales’s enthusiasm, approachability and diligence was an ideal organisation fit for the Blackall and Tambo communities.
“Born and raised on a cattle property 120 km west of Dalby, in the last few years she has also worked on her father's breeder block northwest of Longreach where she has her own herd of 100 cows and calves.
“As such, Dr Dales is astutely aware of the challenges and triumphs of rural medicine.
“She is passionate about the provision of excellent healthcare to people living in rural communities and committed to the Blackall and Tambo communities.
“I am sure the Blackall and Tambo communities will continue to support her in her new role.’’
Dr Dales graduated from James Cook University in 2019 and has an Advanced Skill in Internal Medicine.
She recently also passed the final major exam on the path to becoming a specialist Rural Generalist.
Dr Walker said the examination was the final hurdle to achieving Fellowship of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) and was a highly stressful and gruelling undertaking that assessed the doctor’s ability to manage patients independently in a rural and remote context.
“Being rural born and raised, I always knew that I wanted to work in rural medicine, and it’s always been a dream of mine to specialise as a Rural Generalist,’’ Dr Dales said.