Waikato Hospital has begun a worldwide search for a new clinician to head its emergency department, not only one of the busiest in the country but soon to be the newest.

Dr Shameem Safih, the department's clinical director for 10 years, takes up a position as Health Waikato southern rural hospitals emergency departments clinical director next month.

Applications for the job close on 28 February.

Waikato Hospital group manager Dr Grant Howard said he was determined to find a clinical director to provide operational, professional and governance leadership.

"Our emergency team has a vision and single-minded pursuit of being world class.

"I am personally determined to find a clinical director of the calibre our emergency team deserves," said Dr Howard.

Waikato Hospital has the biggest regional trauma catchment in New Zealand - more than 860,000 people in the Midland region. The current emergency department sees more than 54,000 patients a year. When Dr Safih started in 2000, there were 43,000 patients.

A new emergency department will be ready to occupy in January next year.

It will have 65 spaces compared to 52 currently, four resus rooms, double the current number and two purpose-build procedural sedation rooms.

There will also be a larger area for children with 16 bed spaces, up from eight, and including six purpose-built short stay beds for paediatrics.

Above the emergency department, on two levels, there will be a new medical assessment unit with 100 beds.

"It will get everyone else in the organisation playing their role in the management of acute care patients," says Dr Safih.

The Fijian doctor has seen many changes in the last decade. He believes Hamilton has become a more violent city.

"There's a lot more assaults. Knifes, weapons, kicks and punches all resulting in multiple serious injuries."

He also believes lowering of the drinking age to 18 made emergency departments busier places.

Low point of his time in the department also includes the increasing numbers of teenagers presenting drunk.

"When the drinking age lowered we saw a definite increase in the number of teenage drunks - about 13, 14 and 15 years old. They become really, really drunk."

Full interview with Dr Safih