For today’s ‘Get to know’ profile, we caught up with Steve Manolas, the new Director of General Surgery.

What is your coffee order?

I usually have a flat white.

Tell us about your time/career so far at Northern Health?

I have been part of Northern Health and PANCH’s history since 1991. Initially, I started as a senior Registrar/Fellow, and then went on to become a general surgeon.

During this time, I started an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) service at PANCH, which continued at Northern Health from 1998.

Although initially my work was very general, I had an interest in thyroid surgery. When I became Head of Unit for Surg 3, I developed this unit into the Endocrine Surgical Unit with Upper GI, under the same umbrella.

As the Director of General Surgery, what does a working day look like for you?

This role has very quickly expanded my understanding of the hospital processes behind the scenes. I have a new understanding of all the effort that goes in to supporting the clinical side that we sometimes take for granted.

What are you looking forward to the most in this new role?

I am very interested in helping General Surgery expand and build on the good work that has been done so far.

What was your career before Northern Health?

I spent my junior years in medicine at Western Hospital, then at Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital for all my surgical training.

After my Fellowship, I spent about two years in Gloucester, England, developing my ERCP skills and progressing my endocrine interests.

I then returned to PANCH in 1991, and subsequently Northern Health.

If you could describe Northern Health in one sentence, what would it be?

Northern Health has been a friendly and supportive place to work, and this is due to the people that we work with every day, from the front desk staff, cleaners, nurses, and colleagues – you enjoy coming into work.