Kilmore District Health farewelled one of its longest-serving surgeons, Associate Professor Peter Danne, who has been a visiting medical officer for the past 20 years.
Mr Danne completed his final endoscopy session on Tuesday last week in his last few hours at the hospital.
“I’ll miss coming to the hospital, miss looking after my patients, many of these patients I looked after for several years,” he said.
When reflecting on his final hours of work, Mr Danne emphasised the importance of well-trained staff to operate the theatre rooms in areas like Kilmore
“You have got that team here, nurses who are trained in endoscopy and surgery, and that is when you can really start confidently providing a good service. We are at that level now,” he said.
Mr Danne has completed major surgical cases at major hospitals such as Epworth and Royal Melbourne, however at Kilmore District, he concentrated on smaller general surgical operating cases and colonoscopy work.
He said over the past decade, Kilmore Hospital’s expansion of operating theatres and services had resulted in a better understanding of administration and with great leadership.
“What we have done is to set up a really good community Colonoscopy Surveillance program in order to identify people with precancerous polyps, to remove them and prevent the cancers, and to pick up those people who have early cancers,” he said.
“This has been a great achievement for the local community in Mitchell Shire and the Macedon Ranges.
“The core services at KDH include colonoscopy service, the obstetric service, the ear, nose and throat, ENT, service, as well as other surgical fields.”
Prior to Kilmore District Health, Mr Danne qualified as a medical practitioner in 1975, completed training in Melbourne, and travelled with his young family to Washington DC to specialise in trauma surgery, as well as the United Kingdom for further general surgery.
The move to Kilmore District Health came after 14 years at Albury-Wodonga when he realised, he enjoyed serving regional communities.
“I have enjoyed being part of the provision of health care in communities like Albury-Wodonga and now the Kilmore region. Local people appreciate the staff, who are hardworking and keen to learn,” Mr Danne said.
However, Mr Danne’s services was not only dedicated to colonoscopy and regional work.
In 1998, he was asked to move to Melbourne to set up a major trauma service at the Royal Melbourne Hospital – one of two major trauma services in the new state trauma care system.
“We looked at the outcomes in people who had either died or who had serious injury yet had complications and found that 40 per cent of this group of people could have possibly had those outcomes prevented with better care,” he said.
Mr Danne started work at Kilmore in 2000 and has been operating since then, along with his main cases being at Epworth Hospital, Richmond.
After a period working in research, surgery and teaching, Mr Danne said he was looking forward to retirement on his Romsey farm, and to spend time with grandchildren.
“I’m just looking forward to all that retirement may bring, with my family, some travel, and spending more time at our Romsey farm,” he said.
