April 2005

Professor Steve Allsop is the new director of Curtin University's National Drug Research Institute based at Curtin's Health Research Campus in Perth, which conducts and disseminates high quality research with the aim of preventing harmful drug use in Australia.

Biotechnology company EQiTX Limited has closed its Perth office and relocated its registered head office and operations to Melbourne.

PharmAust has appointed John Moursounidis as its first chief executive officer. He was most recently head of scientific affairs at Boots Healthcare Australia, where he was responsible for the scientific operational and strategic direction of the company.

Simon Trevisan has been appointed a director of Australian Healthcare Technology Limited, while Robert Porter and Alexander Hartman have resigned as directors of Biometrics Limited.

Samantha Pettemerides has been appointed company secretary of Xceed Biotechnology Limited, replacing Narelle Lloyd.

Unilife Medical Solutions Limited has appointed Jeff Carter as chief financial officer, replacing David McIntyre.

Genesis Biomedical Limited has appointed Adrian Knight and Roger Smith as non-executive directors, while Adam Davey has resigned as non-executive director of the company.

Bone Medical Limited has appointed Michael Redman as chief executive officer and as an executive director.

Scott Bollington has been appointed company secretary of Biometrics Limited, replacing Katina Gunellas.

Ramsay Health Care now owns the 45-bed Rockingham Family Hospital in Waikiki, which will be renamed Coastal Private Hospital. Negotiations wiht previous owner Futuris WA began last December. All staff from Rockingham will remain. Ramsay Health Care, established in 1964, now has almost 40 health care facilities throughout Australia. Kevin Cass-Ryall is now the executive director of both Hollywood Private Hospital and Coastal Private Hospital, while Rockingham Family Hospital's director of clinical services Ruth Del Borrello will manage Coastal Private Hospital.

Rockingham will get its first BreastScreen WA clinic to replace the area's mobile breast screening service, in response to increasing demand. There is a projected 10% increase in women aged 50-69 in the next few years. The mobile service recorded 5701 screens in 2002/03 (20% increase from the year before) and since 1995, 21168 women have been screened in the area and 128 cases of breast cancer detected. BreastScreen WA now runs seven at Perth City, Fremantle, Cannington, Joondalup, Midland, Mirrabooka and Rockingham and four mobile services for outer metro and rural areas.