Happy days in the sunny city of Perth

Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Gastroenterologist Dr Amit Saha has found the perfect work-life balance working at St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals – he gets to make an impact in the hospital community, advance his career, spend time with his family and make the most of the sunshine in Perth.

31 Oct 2022

What’s your position?

I’m a Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Gastroenterologist at St John of God Midland Public and Private Hospitals. I’m also the Director of Clinical Training in Paediatrics.

I also hold academic positions at Curtin University and Monash University Malaysia as a Clinical Lecturer and Associate Professor.

Why were you interested in working at St John of God Health Care?

Originally from India, I moved to Australia with my wife, Dr Arpita Ghosh, and our two young kids from the UK four years ago. My wife and I were both lucky to join at St John of God Health Care, which makes life much simpler with our work life balance and managing child care. My wife works as an Obstetrician and Gynaecologist Consultant at the hospital and shares the same passion and values as me in working for this organisation and we are both very happy.

When I first arrived I was really impressed by the organisation’s work culture and the friendliness of everyone that I spoke with and met. Whilst I did not know much about the hospital before the role, I really enjoy it and can’t think of working anywhere else.

What do you enjoy most about working with us?

I work in a great team with very friendly colleagues and who support each other in everything we do. It's got a great work-life balance and it is one of the few institutions where there's a beautiful blend of the public and the private aspects of Australian health care. I really enjoy this diversity and cultural mix that I work with here.

What opportunities have you received while working with us?

I have become the clinical director for clinical training in paediatrics, which has led me to interact with juniors at various levels to help them with their career, which is a very rewarding experience. I've also been the audit lead and undertake research in our department, which are also very rewarding.

I also got an opportunity to work as a Consultant Paediatric Gastroenterologist in a fixed term position at Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. I was very well supported by the organisation to go over and gain that experience, which was awesome.

What do you love the most about living in Perth?

Perth has the distinction of being the sunniest capital city in the world. It can have more than 300 days of sunshine a year and the beaches are absolutely fabulous. So I don't think I can ask for anything else. It's got a fantastic work life balance and the life outside work is very rewarding and enriching.

What do you want other people to know about working with St John of God Health Care?

We have a wonderful team of like-minded and compassionate people. We are all in it together and we decide and move forward together. So I do get a lot of clinical and non-clinical responsibilities to cater to and that makes me really feel valued working in this organisation.

Do you and your team socialise outside of work?

Outside of work, we socialise as colleagues and teams. We are more like an extended family and we often come together with dinners and other small gatherings. But even more important than that, we definitely come together when somebody needs help and that is very reassuring.

One of the highlights of the year is the Christmas dinner where all families get together and it's great fun.

What does St John of God Health Care do to make you feel cared about in the workplace?

I believe one of the greatest aspects is the teamwork that we are a part of. And I'm not talking about just us as doctors, but also the multidisciplinary team. I can easily get in touch with whoever I want, even with the CEO and all the management staff, as well as the nursing and allied health staff. We are all a part of a huge team looking after our patients.

We have annual staff surveys, which brings out any issues so that we can work on to make things better, which is awesome.

I would highly recommend anybody thinking of coming from the UK to join the Australian health care system and work at St John of God Health Care. Perth has got lovely weather and I believe the greatest thing about Perth is the work life balance that can be achieved. It gives us a lot of time with our families and it's a beautiful sunny city to live in.