New doctor means Tamworth hospital to offer complex ear, nose and throat services for the first time in years

Iranian-born specialist Dr Hossein Ghazavi, who is in the process of moving from Newcastle's John Hunter Hospital to the city, will hold his first clinic at the Tamworth hospital on Monday.

It's been years since a surgeon with the in-demand specialty lived in Tamworth.

Medical and political leaders almost jumped for joy at the news.

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Executive Director of Rural and Regional Health Services Susan Heyman said it had long proven difficult to attract a doctor with the in-demand specialty to the region.

"It's been quite a lot of time since we've had a ENT surgeon here in Tamworth so we're delighted with this, but it was a lot of work," she said.

Visiting outreach services have been available at the hospital one day every other month since 2019.

But because the surgeon returned to Newcastle the next day, complicated surgeries like Tonsillectomy surgery often couldn't be done locally, because there was no surgeon to follow-up during recovery.

Many patients ended up driving to Newcastle.

Ms Heyman said demand would be high for the new specialist.

"The John Hunter waiting list has people from New England, from Tamworth, who will be redirected back to Tamworth, to see Dr Ghazavi," she said.

"Mostly pediatric patients. That just reinforces the need, because of course children, the sooner they can get the specialist help they need, the better outcomes they have."

She said Dr Ghazavi, who had worked as an Otolaryngology Staff Specialist in Newcastle since 2021, wanted to come to Tamworth, and didn't require incentives.

"He's got a joint appointment with John Hunter and Tamworth," she said.

"Even though he'll be the only specialist here, he will have the support of the big network in John Hunter.

"What that means is that we'll have a more sustainable service."

Tamworth MP Kevin Anderson said the $211 million new Tamworth hospital would prove a great base for the new doctor.

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"It's difficult to attract people to regional NSW," he said.

"What we've got to do as a community is continually show how good our region is, backed up by the professional staff and the five-star facilities at this brand-new hospital."

The hospital has already spent $750,000 on a single piece of equipment for Dr Ghazavi to use in one of the surgery theatres.

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