Dr Millar Forbes appointed inaugural Medical Director of DonateWest

6/2/00

Intensive care specialist Dr Millar Forbes has been appointed as the inaugural Medical Director of DonateWest, the Western Australian organ and tissue donation agency.
Announcing the appointment today, Health Minister John Day said Dr Forbes' distinguished medical career spanned 42 years, including his current position as Clinical Associate Professor of Pharmacology at the University of WA.
His recent appointments include Director of Intensive Care at Hollywood Private Hospital and as an intensive care specialist at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital and St John of God Hospital.
Mr Day said WA was fortunate to have a specialist of Dr Forbes' calibre and experience to oversee such an important initiative as organ and tissue donation.
"During his extensive experience as an intensive care specialist, Dr Forbes has encountered the issue of organ and tissue donation first-hand, many times," the Minister said.
"His understanding and direct involvement in the organ and tissue donation process gives him exceptional empathy with all the parties involved including potential donors, potential recipients, their families and the relevant medical staff."

Mr Day said the State Government had committed $1 million over the next three years to DonateWest, a co-ordinated, State-wide framework under which organ and tissue donation would operate in WA.
In 1998, the WA rate of organ donation of seven donors per million people was nearly half that of the Australia-wide rate of 12 donors per million people. This meant that most potential WA donor recipients were expecting to wait up to three years before they received a donor organ or tissue.
Dr Forbes said he was looking forward to the challenge of raising organ and tissue donation rates in WA and ensuring positive outcomes for donor families and recipients.
"Individual groups have achieved a lot in regards to organ and tissue donation over the past few years and this is an opportunity to bring all the good work together," he said.
Media contact: Mark Thompson on 9213 6600