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Purpose of the New Zealand Clinical Senate

Established as part of the New Zealand Health Delivery Plan, the NZCS is a multidisciplinary group that represents clinicians in providing constructive, independent, impartial and timely strategic advice on system-wide issues that affect quality, affordable and efficient patient care. 

Advice will be provided to the Health New Zealand (HNZ) Commissioner/Board on a range of topics, informed by professional experience, best practice, and available evidence. 

Responsibilities of the New Zealand Clinical Senate

The NZCS will fulfil this function by:

  • identifying topics for consideration in collaboration with the Commissioner/Board, and Health NZ’s existing clinical leaders/forums
  • bringing together varied knowledge and perspectives from New Zealand’s health workforce
  • establishing strong links with clinical colleagues and actively engaging the sector.
  • fostering a culture of curiosity and forward-thinking, championing innovation and new models of care, and an ethos of motivating high performance.
  • centring considerations of needs-based care.
  • meeting up to three times per year or as required.

Membership of the New Zealand Clinical Senate

The Inaugural NZCS membership represents a wide range of professions and areas of practice from hospitals to primary, community, public health, academia and more. Members were also selected to ensure representation from urban, rural and remote regions in New Zealand, with roles that work with Māori and Pacific communities being prioritised.

While we acknowledge that some professions and areas of practice are underrepresented, we will continue to evolve the Senate to reflect the full breadth of clinical expertise across the motu.

Jonathan Christiansen is the Inaugural Chair of the NZCS.

Biography of the inaugural Chair of the New Zealand Clinical Senate, Associate Professor Jonathan Christiansen

Biography of the inaugural Chair of the New Zealand Clinical Senate, Associate Professor Jonathan Christiansen

Dr Christiansen is a cardiologist who has an extensive background in clinical leadership. 

He is a past Aotearoa NZ President of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP) and held key positions in the College including as a Board Director and Chair of the Sydney-based College Education Committee. At Waitemata he was Head of the Division, Medicine and Health of Older People and subsequently Associate Chief Medical Officer prior to his appointment as Chief Medical Officer in 2019 a position he held until August 2025, stepping down to focus on the role as Chair of the Clinical Senate.

Dr Christiansen is a graduate of the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, and after training in Tauranga and Auckland moved to the USA where he was appointed Chief Resident at the Strong Memorial Hospital, University of Rochester, NY, before undertaking a clinical and research fellowship in cardiology at the University of Virginia, VA. Dr Christiansen returned to New Zealand in 2003 and works as a specialist cardiologist at North Shore and Waitakere Hospitals.

Dr Christiansen maintains a strong interest in the growth and education of NZ’s future clinicians both in undergraduate teaching and as an educational supervisor for the RACP physician training. He was appointed an Associate Professor Matauranga Hauora, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, Waipapa Taumata Rau at the University of Auckland in 2023.

A Co-Chair from each of the National Clinical Networks will also be part of the Senate Membership.

National Clinical Networks

Name Role Region District
Alex Psirides Intensivist & Co-Director, Wellington ICU Central Capital Coast and Hutt Valley
Alexander Stapleton Urgent Care Specialist, GP Te Manawa Taki Taranaki
Alexandra Muthu Clinical Director Occupational Health and Occupational & Environmental Medicine Specialist Northern Waitemata
Alison Eddy CE, New Zealand College of Midwives Te Waipounamu Canterbury
Amanda Johnston Dentist Northern Northland
Andrea Reilly Clinical Nurse Specialist, Cancer Coordination and National Bowel Screening Te Waipounamu West Coast
Andrew Bowers Acute Medical Physician, Clinical Director Medicine, Emergency Department & IT Te Manawa Taki Lakes
Anthony Valvoi Sterile Sciences Department Manager Te Manawa Taki Taranaki
Brendan Marshall Rural Generalist Obstetrician, CMO Te Waipounamu West Coast
Briar Bennett Senior Renal Dietitian Northern Northland
Brock Dale Chief Pharmacist Te Manawa Taki Tairawhiti
Brylee Thompson Clinical Nurse Manager, Mid-North District Nursing Services Northern Northland
Calvin Davis GP Te Waipounamu West Coast
Catherine D'Souza SMO Palliative Medicine Te Waipounamu South Canterbury
Catherine McIntosh Physiotherapist, Regional Manager & National Vocational Rehabilitation Portfolio Lead Te Manawa Taki Bay of Plenty
Charlene Tan-Smith Dietitian, Consultant Manager Te Waipounamu Canterbury and West Coast
Claire Russell Clinical Advisor, Thames Hospital ED Te Manawa Taki Waikato
Clare Randall Pharmacist Prescriber, CE Arohanui Hospice Central MidCentral
Colleen Bowring Nurse, National Clinical and Quality Manager Northern Auckland
Debbie Wilson Nurse, Sustainability Practitioner/Consultant Northern  Auckland
Dianne Marshal Nurse, Clinical Effectiveness Manager, Quality & Patient Safety Te Manawa Taki Waikato
Emma Griffiths Pharmacist, Clinical Lead and Practice Northern  Counties Manukau
Felicity Lallier Paramedic Central MidCentral
Felicity Williamson Harpur Medical Officer of Health and Public Health Medicine Specialist Northern Auckland
Fiona Bradley General Manager, Community Pharmacist Te Waipounamu Canterbury
Fiona Millard GP Central Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley
Francessa Wilson Clinical Director, Starship Radiology Northern Auckland
Grace Conway Social Work Advanced Clinician, Safeguarding Adults from Abuse Coordinator Northern Waitemata
Grace Hurdley GP Central Hawke's Bay
Heide Griesemann Consult Liaison Psychiatrist, Clinical Head of Department Acute Specialist Services, Mental Health and Addiction Service Northern Northland
Helen Evans Clinical Director  Paediatric Medical Specialties, Paediatric Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist Northern Auckland
Iris Fontanilla Clinical Lead Psychology, Consultant Health Psychologist Northern Auckland
Jackie Heapy Nurse Occupational Health, GM Kaimahi Hauora Te Manawa Taki Taranaki
Jan Goddard Chief Pharmacist, Operations Manager Te Manawa Taki Waikato
Jasmine McKay Urgent Care Specialist Clinical Director, Primary Care Te Waipounamu Canterbury
John Conneely Nurse, Quality Systems Manager, Mental Health and Addictions Group Central Hawke's Bay
John Hildreth Clinical Nurse Manager Te Manawa Taki Lakes
Jonathan Chen Intensive Care Manager, General and Acute Care Medicine Specialist Te Manawa Taki Bay of Plenty
Jordana Sweeney Clinical Leader of Occupational Therapy Te Manawa Taki Tairawhiti
Karl Lyons Deputy Dean (Clinical) Faculty of Dentistry, Dentist Te Waipounamu Southern
Kayla Luke School-based Health Nurse, Senior Nurse Educator Te Manawa Taki Taranaki 
Kirsten Birrell Senior Medical Laboratory, Scientist Central Hawke's Bay
Leslie Gonsette Internal Medicine Consultant, Head of Department Te Manawa Taki Bay of Plenty
Leslie Han Yan Oral Health Therapist, Interpreter Northern Waitemata
Linda Hill Director of Nursing, Nurse Maude Te Waipounamu Canterbury
Luana Penese Director Nursing Primary, Community Aged Care Central Capita, Coast and Hutt Valley
Lucinda Whiteley GP, Regional Clinical Director Primary and Community Care, Clinical Lead Health Pathways Te Waipounamu Canterbury
Marianne Lill General Surgeon Central Whanganui
Mark Peterson GP Central Hawke's Bay
Matthew Marion ED SMO, Head of Department Te Manawa Taki Tairawhiti
Mel Sutton Nurse Practitioner Rural Primary Care Te Waipounamu Nelson Marlborough
Michael Connelly Clinical Director - Emergency Medicine, Taranaki Te Manawa Taki Taranaki
Michal Noonan Nurse Practitioner Northern Auckland
Morgan Edwards Anaesthetist, President NZ Society of Anaesthetists Northern Waitemata
Natasha Rafter Public Health Physician, Clinical Chief Advisor - Intelligence Central Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley
Nick Gow ID/General Medicine SMO Northern Waitemata
Nick Jones  Public Health Physician, Medical Officer of Health Central Hawke's Bay
Nicky McCarthy Dietitian Te Waipounamu Southern
Pablo Richly Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry Consultant and Clinical Lead Te Manawa Taki Waikato
Per Kempe Obstetrician Gynaecologist, Clinical Lead Central MidCentral
Priya Shahi Nurse Practitioner Mental Health Northern Counties Manukau
Rene Templeton Physiotherapist, Chief Allied Health Scientific and Technical Te Waipounamu South Canterbury
Renee Noble Nurse, Clinical Advisor and Lead Te Waipounamu Canterbury
Richard Cooper Radiologist, HoD, Co-Chair Central Region Radiology Delivery Network Central Hawke's Bay
Rob Allan Divisional Lead - Laboratory Services Te Waipounamu Canterbury
Rob Burrell Anaesthesia, Clinical Lead, National Sustainability Team Northern Counties Manukau
Ruchith Gooneratne General Paediatrician, Kidz First Hospital Northern Counties Manukau
Ruth Large Chief Clinical Officer, Whakarongorau Aotearoa Northern  Auckland
Sally Watson Advanced Practitioner Physiotherapist - Orthopaedics Central Hawke's Bay
Stephanie Taylor GP Northern Auckland
Stephen Crandall Emergency Medicine Specialist, Taupo Te Manawa Taki Lakes
Steven York Podiatrist, Principal Advisor - Hauora Maori Service Northern Northland
Stuart Cook Extended Care Paramedic Te Waipounamu Canterbury
Stuart Dalziel Paediatric Emergency Medicine Physician, Director of Emergency Medicine Research Northern Auckland
Susan Hewitt Team Leader - Radiation Therapist Central  Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley
Suzanne Hamilton Emergency Medicine Specialist Te Waipounamu Canterbury
Tamara Karu Midwife Central Hawke's Bay
Tammy Pegg Cardiologist Te Waipounamu Nelson-Marlborough
Vanessa Abbott Nurse, Quality Coordinator Central Whanganui
Wiremu Kohere-Tipoki Hospital Dentist Te Manawa Taki Tairawhiti
Yoram Barak Professor and Consultant Psychogeriatrician Te Waipounamu Southern
Yuki Aoyagi Consultant and Clinical Director, Internal Medicine Department Te Waipounamu Southern

 

New Zealand Clinical Senate meetings

The first NZCS meeting will be held on Friday 10 October in Auckland. The focus of the meeting will be announced shortly.

The NZCS will host three meetings per year and provide a report with recommendations, that will be given to the HNZ board after each meeting.

Topics will be selected based on the following criteria :

  1. Is a recognised sector-wide issue
  2. The issue impacts all disciplines and specialities
  3. There is no relevant clinical network which could progress strategic discussions and the topic won’t duplicate work already happening.
  4. The NZCS can add value and effect change by discussing the issue
  5. There is a perceived importance of the issue, and a readiness and ability to engage with, the system, clinicians and consumers.

Connecting with the New Zealand Clinical Senate

Whether you are a member of the NZCS or not, we are keen to hear from you and hear your ideas about issues the Senate could engage with, or that:

  • impact all disciplines and specialities
  • there isn’t already an existing forum to address these issues
  • you see opportunities for change
  • there’s a sense of importance and readiness to tackle this issue.

Contact us on HNZ-NZClinicalSenate@tewhatuora.govt.nz