Speakers

Session 1

Jenene Crossan

Jenene Crossan (Ngāi Tahu) came home from London in March 2020, with the original strain of COVID-19, which unfortunately went on to become what will likely be known as ‘text book’ Long COVID. She is one of New Zealand’s first and noisiest support advocates for patients, lobbying government, pushing media and co-ordinating resources. She has spearheaded group administration, crowd funding for research and cross-department communications, to ensure the lived experience is being heard. Pre COVID-19, Jenene was most well known for being a tech entrepreneur, who has created some of New Zealand’s most loved consumer digital brands. Today she is the CEO and co-founder of Powered by Flossie, a global software company, working with giants such as L’Oréal and Estée Lauder across the USA, United Kingdom and European Union. Jenene is 44 and lives in Piha with her entrepreneur husband Scottie Chapman, her daughters Affy, Maddie and Isa, plus a brood of fur babies.

Dr Martin Chadwick

Martin is the Chief Allied Health Professions Officer within the Ministry of Health, working in partnership with the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Office, in providing transdisciplinary clinical leadership and advice. The role works at a systems level, as well as providing support to clinicians, programmes and projects across the Ministry. Martin was the 2019-20 New Zealand Harkness Fellow in Health Care Policy and Practice. He completed his doctoral degree in 2019, examining health workforce change.

Session 2

Dr Anna Brooks

Dr Anna Brooks is a Senior Lecturer and cellular Immunologist at the Faculty of Science, University of Auckland. In addition, she is academic lead and Director of Auckland Cytometry, the flow cytometry Shared Resource Laboratory for the Faculty of Science. Dr Brooks has a broad background in human immunology, with specific training and expertise in advanced cell characterisation using high dimensional spectral flow cytometry. Dr Brooks’ research focuses on immunoprofiling of various immune perturbations and is currently leading a study to understand the underlying immune dysfunction of Long COVID and its relationship with Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS). In addition, she is a flow cytometry consultant for several collaborations to monitor immune responses for various applications, including clinical trials. Dr Brooks sits on committees for the Australasian Cytometry Society, the International Society for Cell and Gene Therapy and the Associated New Zealand ME Society.

Dr Mona Jeffreys

Mona is a senior research fellow in epidemiology at the Health Services Research Centre (HSRC). She trained at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (MSc) and Bristol University (PhD). She then worked at the Centre for Public Health Research at Massey University (Wellington) as Senior Lecturer in Public Health. After another period at Bristol University, as Senior Lecturer in Epidemiology, she returned to Wellington, and is employed at the HSRC, working on projects around access to primary health care. Her current projects are "Primary Health Care Programme", specifically addressing “What Works, for Whom, and in What Contexts to Support Changes in Primary Health Care Service Delivery?” and "Causes and consequences of barriers to primary health care. An analysis of the Growing Up in New Zealand cohort."

Session 3

Dr Lynne Russell

Dr Lynne Russell (Ngāti Kahungunu, Rangitāne, Kāi Tahu, Ngāti Porou) works as a Kairangahau Matua – Hauora Māori (Senior Research Fellow – Māori Health) in Te Hikuwai Rangahau Hauora (the Health Services Research Centre) at Te Herenga Waka–Victoria University of Wellington. Much of her professional and academic work has centred around the Indigenous knowledge and healing practices used in recovery from trauma associated with mental distress, suicide loss and self-harm. She describes herself as a writer, activist and public speaker stirred by cultural resilience, social justice, Indigenous and LGBTI rights, and the amplification of voices more readily silenced in society.

Paula Tesoriero MNZM

Paula Tesoriero MNZM is New Zealand’s Disability Rights Commissioner. She has a broad mandate under the Human Rights Act 1993 to protect and promote the rights of disabled New Zealanders. Paula is a former lawyer and was a senior public servant for a number of years. She is a life trustee with the Halberg Foundation, and has held a range of governance roles on various Boards. She is also a Paralympian cycling gold medallist and holds a number of sports related roles, including being a member of the New Zealand Sports Tribunal and the Chef de Mission for the New Zealand Paralympic Team for Tokyo 2020.

Gilli Sinclair

Gilli has a history of working in mental health and suicide and on projects that span multiple Ministries. She moved last year to the Auckland City Mission, after working as CEO of Cerebral Palsy Society for 5 years. At the Auckland City Mission, Gilli works across health services that cover primary healthcare, social detox/ withdrawal services; outreach services and soon dental. Gilli believes that it is a privilege to work in the Mission, which she considers to be an amazing values driven organisation, operating in a trauma informed culture.

Dr Raewyn Gavin

Raewyn is a General Paediatrician at Starship Children’s Hospital in Auckland. She has an interest in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS) and autonomic dysfunction in young people.

Session 4

Professor Michael Baker

Michael Baker is a Public Health Physician, epidemiologist, and Professor in the Department of Public Health at the University of Otago, Wellington. His work during 2020-22 has been dominated by assisting with the New Zealand COVID-19 pandemic response. He is a member of the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Technical Advisory Group and was a leading advocate for the COVID-19 elimination strategy. Michael established a programme of research on the epidemiology, prevention and control of COVID-19 (Co-Search) with support from the Health Research Council (HRC) and has published widely on this subject. He is also leading a 5-year HRC Programme investigating the relationship between infectious diseases, long-term health conditions, and social determinants (SYMBOTIC) and research to identify improved ways to prevent rheumatic fever.

Dr Bryan Betty

Dr Bryan Betty is the Medical Director of The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners. He works at Porirua Union and Community Health Services in Cannons Creek. The practice has 7000 registered patients and is 90% high needs. A strong motivator throughout his career has been issues of equity and access to quality healthcare for everyone.

He became the College’s Medical Director in 2019 and provides clinical advice and guidance on policy and medico-legal issues. He is a media spokesperson for the College and speaks regularly on issues affecting the GP workforce and patient care, in order to advocate for change, and he represents the College and its 5,500 members on various health sector committees.

Dr Betty chairs the Capital Coast Alliance Leadership Team, is on the Board of Tu Ora Compass Health PHO, was on the National Diabetes Leadership Group, and was previously Deputy Medical Director of PHARMAC.

Professor Nicola Kayes

Nicola Kayes is Professor of Rehabilitation, and Director of the Centre for Person Centred Research at Auckland University of Technology (AUT) in New Zealand. With a background in health psychology, Nicola’s specific research expertise draws insights from the intersection between health psychology and rehabilitation – critically exploring how what we know about how people think, feel, behave and respond in the context of injury and illness, can inform how we work to optimise rehabilitation outcomes. This includes an interest in health service delivery and the organisational structures, cultures, policies and practices that can make possible or constrain ways of working and, therefore, impact on our ability to deliver outcomes that matter to people. Nicola’s recent research has focused on better understanding aspects of person-centred practice, therapeutic relationship, peer support, self-management, engagement, accessibility, and knowledge mobilisation in rehabilitation.

Dr Wendy McRae

Dr Wendy McRae is a Respiratory Physician at Counties Manukau Health in Auckland. Her clinical interests include youth health, chronic airways disease and pulmonary rehabilitation. She has been actively involved in the inpatient care of patients with acute COVID-19, throughout the pandemic and has established a Respiratory post-COVID-19 multidisciplinary clinic to provide ongoing integrated care for patients recovering from this illness.

Dr Alan Pithie

Alan is a Consultant Infectious Diseases Physician at Canterbury DHB, and currently the COVID-19 Clinical Lead. He is helping to develop a programme which focuses on facilitating recovery in health care workers affected by COVID-19.

Leah Hackney

Leah is a Registered Nurse at Canterbury DHB, currently working as Team Lead for the CDHB/WCDHB Return to Work Team. This team has a focus on supporting health care workers who have been affected by COVID-19. Leah has a background in Intensive Care and has more recently worked as an Associate Charge Nurse Manager in Manged Isolation and Quarantine in Christchurch. Her recently completed research focused on psychological coping and its relationship to burnout, bullying and psychological distress in nursing staff.

Session 5

Dr Sarah Rhodes

Sarah is a cardio-respiratory physiotherapist and lecturer at the School of Physiotherapy, University of Otago. She is a researcher in the area of Long COVID and is an advocate for raising awareness of the condition. Sarah's other research interests include sleep health, behaviour change and physical activity.

Dr Paul Skirrow

Paul is a Senior Lecturer & Consultant Clinical Neuropsychologist at the University of Otago in Wellington. As a research assistant, Paul was involved in developing some of the very first post-ICU rehabilitation programmes in the world, which now underscore much of our understanding of Post-Intensive Care Syndrome (PICS) and the difficulties that many people experience following COVID-19. Paul has continued his interest in this field, at the University of Otago, currently supervising a programme of research into the prevalence and experience of PICS in New Zealand. Increasingly, this includes many patients diagnosed with COVID-19.

Dr Lucy Morris

Lucy is a Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist working for Active+ in Christchurch. She completed her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology in 2018, and has since worked in a variety of physical health and neurorehabilitation settings. Lucy moved to New Zealand in September 2021, having worked throughout the COVID-19 pandemic in an acute hospital in the United Kingdom. Alongside her primary role in inpatient neurorehabilitation, Lucy worked with patients requiring intensive rehabilitation following hospital admission with COVID-19, and contributed to the set-up and delivery of an outpatient multidisciplinary team, supporting patients who had been admitted to intensive care with COVID-19.

Dr Bronwyn Thompson

Bronwyn is the Academic Leader Postgraduate Programmes in Pain & Pain Management in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery & Musculoskeletal Medicine, at the University of Otago, Christchurch. She has taught postgraduate courses in pain and pain management since 2002, while also working clinically in persistent pain management as an occupational therapist. Her research interests are in clinical reasoning in persistent pain; daily coping processes used by people living with persistent pain; and the effect of postgraduate education on attitudes and practice of clinicians working in pain and pain management. Her interest in Long COVID arises from its relationship to chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia.

Dr Tania Clifton-Smith

Tania is a physiotherapist, who has worked with Breathing Pattern Disorders and Breathing Dysfunction for over 30 years, establishing Breathing Works and the BradCliff Method for teaching/educating patients and medical professionals. She has been involved with the publication of over 6 books, the latest, released in 2021, being “How to take a Breath” Random/Penguin N.Z. https://www.bradcliff.com/about-us/our-books/

The BradCliff Method was the backbone of a chapter, entitled Managing Breathlessness in “The Long Covid Self-Help Guide” Green Tree U.K. 2022.

Dr Paul Vroegop

Dr Paul Vroegop is a Consultant Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist and Specialist Pain Medicine Physician at Counties Manukau Health in Auckland. He is Clinical Lead of the Chronic Pain Service and works in the Paediatric Consult Liaison Team at Middlemore Hospital. He also works in the Northland DHB and is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Auckland. He is interested in the psychological and social aspects of health, and in improving patient and whanau experience of health care.

Associate Professor Eileen McKinlay

Eileen McKinlay is an Associate Professor and Director of the Centre for Interprofessional Education, Division of Health Sciences, University of Otago, and is a nurse by background. The Centre for Interprofessional Education offers an integrated programme of interprofessional learning activities for pre-registration students of any discipline, designed so that they learn with, from and about each other, while focused on a topic of mutual interest. This prepares students to be collaborative practice ready at graduation, with the skills to work in team-based practice. Eileen’s research interests include interprofessional practice in community settings.

Session 6

Dr Robyn Whittaker

Robyn is a public health physician and Clinical Director Innovation at Waitematā DHB’s Institute for Innovation and Improvement. She is also a digital health academic at the National Institute for Health Innovation, University of Auckland. Her research interests are in mHealth/digital health, co-design and healthy behaviour change, with an international reputation, including as an invited member of the WHO Digital Health Technical Advisory Group. She has been involved in developing a Long COVID multidisciplinary telehealth clinic at Waitematā District Health Board.

Dr Rachelle Martin

Dr Rachelle Martin currently has two roles. She works as a lecturer at the Rehabilitation Teaching and Research Unit, Department of Medicine, University of Otago, Wellington, and she also leads clinical research and knowledge translation at the Burwood Academy Trust (BAT) based in Christchurch. Rachelle aims to develop equitable health-optimising policies and programmes, enabling people who experience disability to live well across their lifespan.

She is committed to participatory methods that listen to and enhance the voices of disabled people, ensuring their perspectives influence health-related policy, programme and service delivery decisions, and work in partnership with Māori researchers to ensure kaupapa Māori responsiveness. She often uses realist review, research or evaluation methods to unpack the ‘black box’ of complex health programmes, by developing a theoretically based understanding of "What works for who, in which contexts, to what extent, and how?" Rachelle’s clinical background (>20 years) is working as a physiotherapist in hospital and community settings, principally alongside people with neurological impairments.

Dr Fiona Leggatt

Fiona is a Research Associate in the Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education at Kingston and St George’s, University of London in the United Kingdom. She currently works on the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) funded Long COVID Personalised Self-Management Support Evaluation (LISTEN) project. Specifically, Fiona works on the co-design of the LISTEN intervention and the project process evaluation. Her previous research has centred upon co-production, narrative, and implementation science to translate recovery stories of major lower limb loss into amputation rehabilitation practice.

Associate Professor Jacquie Kidd

Jacquie Kidd is an Associate Professor at the Auckland University of Technology. Her academic practice is focused on social justice, anti-racism and equity in health for Māori. Generally, she utilises a kaupapa Māori approach to her research, meaning that her projects are based on whānau strengths, community needs and local solutions to complex issues. Jacquie’s recent research includes Oranga Tū (community support for tāne with prostate cancer and their whānau) and Hā Ora (improving early diagnosis of lung cancer). In her presentation, she will reflect on insights from these projects and consider implications for a Long COVID model of care that would achieve Māori health equity and mana Motuhake for Māori whānau.

Fiona Stephens

Fiona is currently a Senior Advisor for the Long COVID programme, within the Chief Allied Health Professions Office, Ministry of Health with Dr Martin Chadwick. Fiona has a physiotherapy background and as the Physiotherapy Professional Lead at Waikato DHB, has a focus on holistic care of patients and whanau in all settings, with a passion for working in the community. As an immigrant from Scotland in 2004, Fiona was introduced to the Te Whare Tapa Wha model of health, which resonates with her clinical approach. Fiona is also working on her research Masters thesis at the University of Waikato.

Session 7

Professor Trisha Greenhalgh

Trisha Greenhalgh is an internationally recognised academic in primary health care and trained as a GP. She is currently Professor of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, and is Co-Director of the Interdisciplinary Research In Health Sciences (IRIHS) unit. She leads a programme of research at the interface between social sciences and medicine, with strong emphasis on the organisation and delivery of health services. Her research seeks to celebrate and retain the traditional and humanistic aspects of medicine, while also embracing the exceptional opportunities of contemporary science and technology to improve health outcomes and relieve suffering. She has brought this interdisciplinary perspective to bear on the research response to the COVID-19 pandemic, looking at diverse themes, including clinical assessment of the deteriorating patient by phone and video, the science and anthropology of face coverings, and policy decision-making in conditions of uncertainty.

Sharon Russell

Sharon Russell is the Associate Chief Allied Health, Scientific Technical Professions Officer at Waitematā DHB. Sharon is an advocate for the professions within the broader umbrella of Allied Health, which covers over 44 professional groups, but works collaboratively and alongside the nursing and medical professions, to ensure strong clinical governance and quality of service. Sharon is also passionate about a transformational approach to quality patient care based on best practice and working in a patient centric care model. Her clinical background is in physiotherapy, specifically geriatric and rehabilitation medicine. Sharon is focussed on new initiatives, innovations and digital health to achieve the Waitematā DHB value statement of best care for everyone.

Tina Ngata

Tina Ngata (Ngāti Porou) is a researcher and scholar, and the author of Kia Mau: Resisting Colonial Fictions. Her work involves advocacy for environmental, Indigenous and human rights. This includes local, national and international initiatives that highlight the role of settler colonialism in issues such as climate change, pandemics and waste pollution, and which promote Indigenous practice as a critical pathway for a globally sustainable future.

Rob Campbell CNZM

Mr Rob Campbell, CNZM CFInstD, is an experienced professional director with extensive union, public and private sector governance experience spanning over 40 years, in a range of different settings, both domestically and internationally. Current Chair roles include: Ara Ake Ltd, Environmental Protection Authority, Tourism Holdings Ltd, WEL Networks, NZ Rural Land Company and Chancellor Auckland University of Technology. He also Chairs Just Move Trust which works with South and West Auckland communities, promoting healthy lifestyle activities.

"My intention is to bring what I have learned during my career about how organisations best work, to the health sector. A healthy community involves us all and health services are a core part of our communities. Health NZ will enable skilled and dedicated professionals to do their best and deliver equity and excellence to all we do."