Don McTaggart, a champion for the North

Of all of his achievements, one of the three that he is most proud was his first significant win in Tasmania: establishing an intensive care unit at Burnie. 

It was almost definitely the first ICU unit in a regional area in Australia – although “one can never say for certain,” Professor McTaggart said. 

He has been in the state since 1963, when he was appointed as consulting physician for the North-West Coast. 

After three years he, and an anesthetist in the region, set up up the ground-breaking unit, and trained their own nursing staff in the process. 

“[The unit was established] because back in those days, resident staff were few and far between – still are, in some cases – and you had to take on most of the work yourself,” he said. 

“We had a lot of bad road traffic accidents too, and having patients on ventilators in the ward was pretty unsatisfactory.

“We were young men, and you don’t really mind being on-call all the time – which we were of course – and it was great fun.

“It was a hard job, and being on call all the time could be debilitating at times, but it was still a matter of some pride and satisfaction. 

He stayed in that role for 20 years, before moving to Launceston to specialise in cardiology. 

He was the first sub-specialist at the Launceston General Hospital.

He was then appointed coordinator of advanced training at the Australian and New Zealand Cardiac Committee, the body responsible for accrediting cardiologists and supervising training programs. 

That experience enabled him to set up the current training opportunities at the LGH – the only regional hospital in Australia accepted to run the full three years of cardiologist training. 

Professor McTaggart’s list of achievements in the medical field is extensive – too long to fit into this article. But it’s those two milestones – both of which saw him adopt the role of championing the highest quality medical care in regional Tasmania – of which he is most proud. 

Along with one more – being granted an associate professorship. 

“That’s the biggest thrill I’ve had in my professional life,” he said. 

He can add one more: the Order of Australia, in recognition of his significant service to medicine, and to the community of Launceston.