Health Navigator NZ

Edward Wagner, MacColl Institute, USA

 Dr Wagner is one of the leading experts internationally in chronic care and transformational healthcare. Translating evidence-based methods of improving care into practice is the tie that binds Dr. Wagner's investigations in preventive medicine, geriatrics, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Another common thread is collaboration—between researchers and health care teams and between health care teams and patients. Under his leadership, several projects, initiatives, and organizations aimed at improving care have sprung up and flourished.

 Group Health Research Institute's founding director, Dr Wagner established The MacColl Institute for Healthcare Innovation in 1992, launching a new effort to move advances in quality improvement research into practice. He and his team developed and disseminated the Chronic Care Model (CCM), one of the most widely used evidence-based frameworks worldwide, with a focus on safe, effective, and collaborative care to patients.

 Dr Wagner's professional service is extensive and he has served as chair and championed a wide range of taskforces, committees, reports and initiatives. In 2007, Dr Wagner received the Health Quality Award from the National Committee for Quality Insurance and was elected into the Institute of Medicine. A longstanding champion of patient-centered care, he was also honoured with the Picker Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Patient-Centered Care—for advocating that respecting patients' values and preferences be central to chronic illness care. Dr Wagner has also authored two books and more than 250 publications.

For more information visit: http://www.grouphealthresearch.org/faculty/profiles/wagner.aspx 

Malcolm Battersby, Clinical Director, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia

 Malcolm Battersby is a Professor of Psychiatry and the Director of the Flinders Human Behaviour and Health Research Unit at Flinders University. His psychiatric, clinical and academic careers were strongly influenced by postgraduate training in the use of behavioural approaches for treating anxiety disorders and related conditions with Professor Isaac Marks at the Institute of Psychiatry, London. Professor Battersby has established an anxiety disorder clinic and the Flinders Centre for Gambling Research at Flinders University, Adelaide, as well as the Master in Mental Health Sciences course to provide training in cognitive and behavioural therapy to non-psychologists.

 A former Harkness Research Fellow, he has created two new clinical programs: behaviour change for people with chronic conditions through the Flinders Program of self-management care planning, and a unique cognitive behavioural treatment model for problem gambling. Both models have been developed by parallel efforts in research, clinical programs and post graduate courses for health professionals. These programs have been adopted in Australia and internationally.

 He is also a chief investigator of the Centre of Clinical Research Excellence in Aboriginal Health, and he led the team that prepared the Self-Management Action Plan for the Australian National Chronic Disease Strategy. More recent work has included two large workforce development projects that investigated the knowledge, attitudes and skills required by the primary health care workforce to effectively support chronic condition prevention and self-management as well as development of a framework to guide integration of chronic condition self-management education into undergraduate or entry level medical, nursing and allied health professional curricula across Australia.

For more information visit: http://som.flinders.edu.au/FUSA/CCTU/staff/malcolm_battersby.htm

Mark Harris, Executive Director, Centre for Primary Health Care & Equity, University of New South Wales

 Mark Harris is Foundation Professor of General Practice and Director of the Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity at the University of New South Wales. He has a broad range of research interests including: health systems research on chronic illness management and prevention; structured care for Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease management and prevention, evaluation of health assessments in the elderly and care planning especially in patients with chronic illness; multidisciplinary teamwork for better chronic disease care for patients in general practice; and behavioural risk factor management.  He has also conducted research on health status and interventions with Indigenous people, refugees and unemployed people in primary health care over the last 25 years. 

 He is lead author of clinical practice guidelines for general practitioners on preventive care (RACGP guidelines for preventive care) and SNAP (RACGP) as well as authored over 250 papers, reports and books/chapters. He has also provided policy advice to Australian and NSW governments through his involvement in peak committees on diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and primary health care integration. He is currently a member of the Australian Department of Health and Ageing Expert Reference Group on the Primary Health Care Strategy and has been commissioned to write papers for the National Preventative Task Force and the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission.

For more information visit: http://unsw.academia.edu/MarkHarris

Richard Osborne, Chair Public Health, Deakin University, Australia

 Professor Osborne is an epidemiologist and health services researcher. His work is characterised by genuine partnership approaches with consumers through to government agencies. His work includes grounded program development and generating innovation for real world settings. He has worked extensively in chronic disease management across acute, primary and community health. He is a recognised international leader in chronic disease self-management and patient education. He initiated and led the highly successful Victorian Orthopaedic Waiting List (OWL) reform initiative (now called OAHKS www.health.vic.gov.au/oahks), a national quality and monitoring system for chronic disease self-management programs now used in many countries (www.heiq.org.au).

He has numerous research collaborations in self-management across Germany, Norway, Denmark, England, Canada, Singapore and other countries. He is undertaking several large scale projects in Thailand where, in collaboration with Mahidol University and Thai government agencies he is developing, testing and implementing a range of self-management interventions. He also developed a whole system approach to workplace health promotion – The Australian WorkHealth Program-Arthritis.  He leads an extensive health literacy research program including the development of the Health Literacy Management Scale (HeLMS), is a team member of the Health Literacy Survey – European, and is developing from first principles the Thai health literacy survey which is inclusive of the people unable to read or write. He has over 100 peer reviewed papers, chapters and reports, is an Associate Editor of the prestigious international journal Arthritis Care and Research.

For more information visit: http://www.deakin.edu.au/hmnbs/staff/bio/rosb.pdf

Kevin Woods, Director General of Health, Ministry of Health

Kevin Woods began a three-year term as Director-General and Chief Executive on 10 January 2011.
Before joining the Ministry, Kevin was the Director General for Health and Chief Executive, National Health Service (NHS) Scotland, a position he was appointed to in January 2005. In that role he was responsible for a budget of over £11 billion and played a leading role in developing health policy and improving health system performance. The NHS in Scotland employs over 150,000 staff through 22 NHS Boards.
Kevin has extensive health sector experience including Chief Executive of the North Central London, Strategic Health Authority. Before that he was the Director of Health Policy and Strategy and spent time as Acting Chief Executive at the Avon Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Strategic Health Authority.
He has also been the William R Lindsay Professor of Health Policy and Economic Evaluation at the University of Glasgow, and the Director of Strategy and Performance Management at the Scottish Executive Health Department.
Kevin has a Doctor of Philosophy and Bachelor of Science (Honours), Geography, from the University of London, and is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health there.

Susan Reid, Consulting Services Manager, Workbase New Zealand

 Susan, who has tribal affiliations to Te Rarawa, holds a senior management position at Workbase where she has worked for the past 19 years. She has been interested in health literacy for a number of years and was part of the impetus for the Ministry of Health to purchase and publish the health literacy data from the 2006 Adult Literacy and Lifeskills Survey. Susan has provided advice on health literacy to the Ministry of Health and is interesting in working with organisations to identify the impact of health literacy on their systems, workforce and clients.

 Workbase has developed a health literacy website www.healthliteracy.org.nz and is focussed on raising awareness of health literacy within the health sector.  Susan’s current work includes partnering with the University of Auckland on an international indigenous research proposal to investigate how developing the health literacy skills of Maori with cardiovascular disease impacts on management of their disease and health outcomes.

Geoff Simmons, Economist & Author, Morgan Foundation

Geoff Simmons is an economist working for the Morgan Foundation – an independent foundation sponsoring public interest research in New Zealand. He graduated from Auckland University with a first class Honours degree in Economics. Geoff co-authored the book Health Cheque: the truth we should all know about New Zealand’s public health system alongside the New Zealand economist, philanthropist and fund manager Gareth Morgan. Geoff and Gareth are also working on a follow up book on the impact of nutrition on our public health system.

Geoff has over ten years as economist working on tricky public policy issues including experience as a Senior Analyst for the New Zealand Treasury and Manager in the UK civil service. Geoff speaks Spanish and is the creative director of Wellington Improv Troupe – WIT.

Jenny Carryer, Professor of Nursing, Massey University, Palmerston North

Jenny Carryer, RN PHD, MNZM is Professor of Nursing at Massey University, Executive Director; College of Nurses and  former member of Primary Health Care Advisory Council to Ministry of Health. She has over twenty years teaching experience and  15 years’ experience in clinical practice positions including charge nurse of an oncology ward.

She leads an active research program focusing on primary health care nurse development, long term condition services, patient safety and development of the Nurse Practitioner role.

Dr Richard S Cooper is the Self-Management Educator for Group Primary Care at Counties Manukau DHB. He has been working mainly with Maori Men’s groups on different Marae throughout the Counties Manukau region.  Cooper has been trained as a Master Trainer for the Stanford Program My Health Our LIFE and also the Counties Diabetes Self-Management Programme. From this experience, he has created a Whanau Ora programme predominantly designed by the participants in the groups. Activities and skills participants learn about include Action Planning, Brainstorming, Problem Solving, Nutrition, Physical Exercise and common medical problems such as raised cholesterol  and diabetes to name a few. The first 3 years focused on healthy eating and cooking. Last year the groups requested interest in becoming more active and regular activities include Maori Games, fishing, eeling, and gardening, tai chi, swimming and walking.

The Marae he has run workshops on each month are Papakura Marae, Manurewwa Marae, Mataatua Marae, Whare Watea Marae and Papatuanuku Marae. This year he will be reaching out to rural marae like Mangatangi Marae, Nga Hau eWha in Pukekohe and Oraeroa Marae at Port Waikato. He has also run Church and Community groups.
Cooper has spoken at various conferences namely the NZ Society for the Study of Diabetes held last year in Hamilton. He has been to Vancouver twice to speak to the First Nations Chiefs Confederation. He recently spoke at the National Maori Gout Hui in Tokomaru Bay. He has a PhD in fine arts and sculpture.

Marama Parore, Pou Arahi Manager Māori Health General Manager, PHARMAC

Marama is of Ngati Whatua, Ngati Kahu, Ngapuhi descent and is the Pou Arahi Manager Māori Health General Manager, Access & Optimal Use - Te Whaioranga. Marama has worked in the Health Sector for over 20 years in a range of government and non-government organisations and has a background in community nursing, teaching, training and management. She has worked for the Public Health Commission, Royal NZ Plunket Society the Central Regional health Authority, the Health Funding Authority and as a self-employed consultant.

Within PHARMAC, Marama leads the Māori Responsiveness Strategy implementation work and the Access & Optimal Use team and is part of the Executive Management Team. Marama has four  children and ten  mokopuna, and in addition to her work roles loves tramping and mountain climbing.

Des Gorman, Professor and Executive Chairman of Health Workforce New Zealand

Professor of Medicine and Associate Dean in the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Gorman was Head of the University’s School of Medicine from 2005 to 2010 inclusive,. He was the first graduate of the School to hold that position.
Current roles include Executive Chairman of Health Workforce New Zealand and he is a member of both the National Health Board, the Capital Investment Committee and member of the Welfare Working Group for the Minister for Social Development.

"I have been married to Christine for 32 years and we have three adult daughters and one granddaughter. I have dual Australian and New Zealand citizenship and am ethnically European and New Zealand Māori. My iwi (tribe) is Ngapuhi. In part because of personal experience, I am strongly committed to promoting indigenous peoples’ health."

His undergraduate medical education and a doctorate in medicine were conferred at the University of Auckland and a doctorate in philosophy (PhD), fromUniversity of Sydney. Both doctorates were awarded on the basis of in vivo research into brain injuries. Additional clinical interests are largely in the disciplines of toxicology and occupational medicine. Professor Gorman has also served in both the Royal Australian Navy and in the Royal New Zealand Navy. He was Dux of the Royal Navy’s Submarine Officer School in 1982 and was the Royal Australian Navy Officer of the Year in 1984. He is also a member of the Expert Panel on Veterans’ Health for the New Zealand Department of Veterans Affairs.

Graeme Osborne, Director of the National Health IT Board

Graeme Osborne is Director of the National Health IT Board and has led the development, implementation and delivery of the National Health IT Plan released last year.  This plan has a strong focus on shared care and IT as a system enabler to support improvements in the quality and delivery of health care services, underpins new models of care, and seeks to deliver better value for money.

Prior to his work with the IT Health Board, Graeme was the General Manager, Information Management, ACC.  At this time Graeme was also the Chair of the Health Information Strategy Advisory Committee (HISAC) which at the direction of the Minister of Health became the IT Health Board (known formally as the National Health Information Technology Board). 

Graeme was the Group Manager, Information and Business Services, Statistics New Zealand (2001 to 2006). He has considerable experience working in the financial, health insurance and information technology fields. Graeme has a background in Mathematics and Marketing and serves on a number of national and regional advisory groups, committees and boards.

Mary Brake, Graphic Facilitator

As a graphic facilitator, Mary combines the skills facilitating group process, organising information and producing visual formats.  Her focus is on accurately identifying and reflecting important content, making information easily understood and memorable and, ultimately, helping individuals, teams and organisations to be effective and successful. She has particular expertise in strategic planning, leadership/team development, culture change and engagement, and process planning.
Mary has worked with a full range of clients from global corporations, local companies, government and non-profit agencies in the United States, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand.

Mary has a law degree from Canterbury University. She was involved with alternative dispute resolution for approximately six years (University of Auckland and Housing Corporation in NZ and California Lawyers for the Arts in the United States). Moving to graphic recording / facilitation, Mary completed training courses in art and design. She lives in Devonport, Auckland. See www.reflectiongraphics.com

Workshop Facilitators

Leona Didsbury, Health Psychologist, ProCare Psychological Services  

Leona is a Health Psychologist who has been practicing for six years in Auckland. She is interested in the changing needs of individuals as they journey through the challenges of  life.  She has worked with clients in medical settings and has experience in the psychological and emotional processes that accompany chronic illnesses. She has also worked with those who are challenged as caregivers for the chronically ill.  Leona has expertise in assisting people with medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) and has experience with cognitive behavioural treatment programmes for clients with chronic fatigue, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia and chronic lower back pain.

Leona is a registered psychologist with the New Zealand Psychologists Board. She graduated from Auckland University with a Bachelor of Arts, and from the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences with a Masters of Science and a Post Graduate Diploma in Health Psychology. She has worked in a clinical setting offering assessments and therapy at ProCare Psychological Services for over five years. Leona is also a Master Trainer in the Stanford  Chronic Disease Self Management Programme (CDSMP) Stanford Diabetes Programme and Stanford Chronic Pain Management Programme.   She is currently the ProCare Self Management Facilitator for Auckland region.

Charlene Pretorius, Health Psychologist & Self Management Trainer, ProCare Health

Charlene has master degrees in Health Psychology and Health Management. She is an Associate Fellow of the Australian College of Health Service Executives and is a New Zealand Registered Psychologist. Her particular areas of interest are self-management for chronic conditions, health promotion, and workplace health. As the first person trained in the Flinders Programme in New Zealand Charlene has conducted training to doctors, nurses and allied health professionals across New Zealand, contracted by PHOs, DHBs, Auckland University and private organisations. She is passionate about self-management and has significant experience delivering the community-based Stanford Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme to groups of people with long-term health conditions, and training leaders to deliver the 6-week programme in churches, schools, marae and other community settings. In 2010 Charlene attended Stanford University in Palo Alto, San Francisco to complete her T-Training in the chronic disease self-management programme (CDSMP) and chronic pain management programme. In 2011 she attended the diabetes self-management cross training programme at Stanford. Charlene provides coaching and mentoring to leaders and master trainers. She works part-time for ProCare Health Ltd as self-management supervisor, and is involved in the roll-out of both the Stanford and Flinders self-management programmes across the Auckland region. She is also the Director for Health Matters Ltd NZ. Charlene was a recipient of a Flinders University Award “Trainer of Excellence” in 2010.

MSc (Hons) MBS (Dist) Cert (Treaty of Waitangi Studies) PG Dip Psych Prac AFCHSE FSMLT MNZPsS Stanford T-Trainer (CDSMP, Pain , Diabetes) Accredited Licensed Flinders Trainer NZ Registered Psychologist

Hilary Boyd   

Hilary has worked in the health and disability sector for over nine years, including working in the Healthcare Improvement Team at Waitemata DHB. Her projects have won recognition at the NZ Market Research Effectiveness Awards, Waitemata DHB Health Excellence Awards and NZ Health Innovation Awards. She has a particular interest in innovative ways of involving consumers in service design. Last year she co-authored the book Health Service Co-design.

Associate Professor Sharon Lawn , Flinders Human Behaviour & Health Research Unit 

Assoc Prof Sharon Lawn is well known internationally for her research looking at systems of care across health services. Her PhD ethnographic research in this area on the culture of smoking in mental health service systems and the issues facing both service users and staff, completed 10 years ago, continues to be the only comprehensive account of its kind and has led to extensive changes throughout Australia, also having a strong influence on international debate and action in this area. Many of the processes of understanding how people fundamentally treat each other can be applied across healthcare systems generally.

Sharon has also been heavily involved in research in the area of Chronic Condition Management and Self-Management, initially as lead writer for the self-management component for the brief to the National Chronic Disease Strategy in 2005, and since then in leading multiple projects across the Australian primary health care sector.

Her third area of focus which is the central driver for all her work is the consumer and carer perspective, how they experience health systems and how their needs are addressed within them. Along with research across all of these areas, Sharon coordinates a post-graduate program in chronic condition management at Flinders University. Sharon’s background is as a clinician for more than 20 years, first in aged care and then mental health services. She is also a mental health carer.

To read more visit: Flinders Unversity staff page

Dr Janice Chesters, Director Awhina, Waitemata Health Campus  

Dr Chesters is the new director of Awhina, Waitemata Health Campus. Janice has recently come to Waitemata from Monash University where she was Associate Professor and Director of the University’s Department of Rural and Indigenous Health. Janice brings strong experience in research, interprofessional and medical education, community health leadership, workforce development, Indigenous education, mental health service delivery, quality and clinical governance leadership.

Dr Mark Wallace-Bell, Senior Lecturer, University of Canterbury, Trainer for Health Foundation

Mark has been a smoking cessation trainer and University Lecturer in psychology and health psychology for over 15 years with extensive experience of training and educating health care professionals in the UK and NZ.  He was a former chartered health psychologist in the UK and is a registered nurse in NZ. He has been involved with and led several smoking related research projects and clinical smoking cessation trials. 

More recently Mark has developed and taught post-graduate papers in Motivation Interviewing at the University of Canterbury Health Sciences Centre and is involved in Doctoral research into MI adaptation in primary care settings.  He is also involved in research looking at the outcomes of MI training on health care professionals practice and regularly teaches motivational interviewing to various agencies and health professional groups in NZ and abroad.

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