Our People

When you join the team at CMDHB you will be part of nearly 6500 highly skilled staff, with great support and career prospects. We have a dedicated workforce working in one of the most dynamic and culturally diverse regions in New Zealand.

The multi-cultural community which we serve is mirrored in our workforce as we have attracted high quality medical staff from all corners of the world.

Meet some of our people at CMDHB

Dr Alka Garg: Clinical Pharmacist for Burns and Surgery

What attracted you to this job?

Having a pharmaceutical background and mainly doing teaching and research, I was always inclined to do clinical work; to see the end use of the products you develop as a product development scientist. I worked in Clinical pharmacy in the United States of America when I was there (3 yrs) and wanted to continue in this field.

How did you get into this role?

I had been teaching at the School of Pharmacy, University of Auckland, when I decided to get into clinical pharmacy. I did my internship at ADHB. Had heard good feedback about CMDHB and so applied here.

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

Compassion, motivation, a sense of achievement by doing a service. Good people skills. Communication.

What have been the biggest obstacles for you in getting to where you are today and how did you overcome these?

Even though I had a PhD in Pharmacy, and had worked in India and USA, and despite my teaching undergraduates and post-graduates at the School of Pharmacy in Auckland, the Pharmacy Council asked me to do a couple of papers for my registration. That took me a year and lot of motivation. Then I had to do a 6 month internship and appear for assessment as the fresh grads do. I think sustaining my motivation through that process was the biggest effort I have ever made.

What’s the Best part of your job?

The sense of achievement at the end of the day. Working in a team of excellent people and being able to do what you want to do.

What are the biggest Challenges in your job?

• To manage the workload in the constraints and still trying to do a job at its best.
• To connect and get through, professionally, to the wide variety of people I work with.
• Realising all the time “how little you know and how much more there is to learn”.

Any advice you would like to give other people thinking about following a career in your area/field?

I think this is an excellent area to work in. I have done extensive research and teaching, in different countries but still love the clinical arena. The projects and research that I can do here may sound small but are more gratifying and self-achieving than big huge research projects. Connecting to the patients and the multi-disciplinary team gives you a wide exposure of learning and professionalism. We can actually put the principles learnt at the Pharmacy school to practise. Above all, working here had made me appreciate life and the importance of small favours God sends our way.

 

Tina McCafferty: Planning and Funding Primary Health Care Programme Manager

What attracted you to this job?

• Strategic overview and working with the strategic direction of the sector
• New learning into health services funding
• Getting back into primary and community work

How did you get into this role?

• Experience in health services management and experience as a clinician historically

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

• Sector understanding
• Operational management experience
• Good communication and relationship skills
• Analysis skills
• Prioritisation skills
• Human Resources knowledge and experience
• Budget management knowledge and experience

What have been the biggest obstacles for you in getting to where you are today and how did you overcome these?

• Post grad study – was long and costly – but worth it – keep persevering – doing it chunk by chunk
• Negotiating work time versus family time – work life balance – keep talking stay grounded

What’s the Best part of your job?

• Working with people in organisations to try to make a difference to health outcomes
• The sense of team work
• The mental stimulation and challenge

What are the biggest Challenges in your job?

• Health is unique in that demand will always outstrip the ability to supply
• Working within a resource constrained environment
• Working within multiple policy frameworks and they way that they are often disconnected

Any advice you would like to give other people thinking about following a career in your area/field?

• Get some experience of health services at grass roots level first – in my opinion - essential
   

Walter Harawira: Living Smokefree Project Manager for Maaori Health

What attracted you to this job?

• Opportunity to work with the CMDHB Maaori Health Team.
• Change of direction and willingness to learn and develop new skills in project management.

How did you get into this role?

• Interest in the Healing and Hauora of whanau

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

• Open mind, willingness to be challenged and to be of service to communities

What have been the biggest obstacles for you in getting to where you are today and how did you overcome these?

• Being comfortable in previous employment where new challenges were few and far between
• Learning a new set of skills to manage new initiatives
• Learning a new set of work jargon
• New mindset to creator of ideas and initiatives from servicing initiatives
• A willingness to keep learning
• Take all feedback and comments as contributions not criticism
• Form a supportive team to work with
• Have a mentor to discuss balance in life and work

What’s the Best part of your job?

• Working in partnership with like minded people who have a wealth of experience and skills to make a difference to Maaori and their health and well-being
• We make a difference

What are the biggest Challenges in your job?

• Developing relationships
• Creating partnerships with many stakeholders
• Learning new skills attributed to project management (planning, contracting, funding, etc…)

Any advice you would like to give other people thinking about following a career in your area/field?

• Give it a go. We do make a difference. It’s a great challenge with great rewards

 

Jude Manuel: Health Promotion Co-ordinator for Breast Screen Counties Manukau

What attracted you to this job?

I saw an opportunity to increase my knowledge around health and systems by working in a DHB setting.
I also felt confident that I could do the job

How did you get into this role?

It seemed a natural progression from working actively in the community in a voluntary capacity. I spent many years working at the Citizens Advice Bureau and was involved in several community committees at various levels. Having these community links was a good resource and has helped me in my Health promotion work. I also like being pro-active.

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

• To start with you need to like people
• Being open-minded and respectful of other people’s cultures and beliefs
• Good planning and IT skills
• Good communication and relationship building skills
• Self managing
• A willingness to learn
• Being flexible
• Definitely need to be able to multi-task as Health promotion has many facets to it
• Having networks within a variety of settings is a plus

What have been the biggest obstacles for you in getting to where you are today and how did you overcome these?

Often you are asked to work in isolation so you need to be able to keep yourself motivated. Networking with other health promoters keeps you sane.
In some arenas Health promotion is not really recognised as a discipline so quite often health promoters are kept out of the loop when plans are being developed. Advocacy is an important part of Health promotion. Being pro-active by having an opinion and voicing it can help

What’s the Best part of your job?

Working collaboratively - meeting new people. Seeing people’s health and wellbeing progress through the combined efforts of all involved

What are the biggest Challenges in your job?

Lack of appropriate resources and bureaucracy

Any advice you would like to give other people thinking about following a career in your area/field?

If you want to be part of prevention rather than cure then this is the job for you. You can have as much academic qualification as you like but it all comes down to relationships and passion.
So if you have the passion start building your networks now you can get academically qualified as you do the job.

Denise Kivell: Director of Nursing

What had you choose Nursing as part of your career?

Throughout childhood and onwards I have always wanted to be a nurse. My mother is a nurse (non-practicing) and she was my inspiring role model.

How did you get into this role?

It wasn’t my career ambition to become a Director of Nursing. However each nursing role I took seemed to be a step up from the last. This is how it shaped up:

I started my nursing career in Paediatrics. After some years of working as a registered nurse in the UK and at Auckland’s St Mary’s Hospital [before Starship was established] I had the opportunity to establish a children’s ward at Middlemore as a Charge Nurse. This was the first 24 hour acute assessment ward in New Zealand. The most enjoyable thing about the Charge Nurse role was working with a multidisciplinary team and developing the whole team.

I helped set up Kidz First Home Care Nursing Team – another first in New Zealand. This meant moving from the ward to co-ordinate the community base team and gave me a great, unique opportunity to work with very experienced senior nurses.

Being involved in setting up new services is a theme as I also helped set up chronic and palliative care services for children.

Four years of being in a Clinical Nurse Director role gave me the opportunity to embed clinical knowledge and have some influence.

This led me to be a Primary Health Care Nurse Leader, a joint role with the University of Auckland. Together with a team of Nurse Specialists and as part of the University staff I helped set up a Long Term Conditions post graduate certificate.

Things progressed from there and after having a 3 month acting Director of Nursing role I began to believe that I could do the job for real.

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

For this role there is a strong element of self-belief needed. Being comfortable with oneself and having the vision to lead. For me it is having a values base always keeping in mind the reason why we are here – and that focus is on improving patients and their whaanau/family health outcomes.
Being able to communicate with people and build relationships across the sector is very important, as is the networking. This opens opportunities to work strategically and influence planning at all levels.

What’s the Best part of your job?

Enabling nurses to grow with knowledge and skills is great. I get a buzz seeing people develop and there is real opportunity to make a difference for patients, families and whaanau across the sector. Through education and leadership there is the ability to influence changes and optimise health outcomes.

This organisation is in tune with its community and is prepared to work with real people in a real way to make a difference and so is in sync with my values. I feel proud to be part of the leadership team.

What are the biggest Challenges?

With the growing complexity of patients’ needs and the need for competent and safe staffing levels to provide care for our patients across the sector: the challenge is having the workforce to do it.

Another challenge is to turn negatives into positives and so this role is about adding value to what nurses can bring and championing them within the team concept to ensure their needs are well represented and supported.

Any advice you would like to give other thinking about taking their Nursing career further into leadership or management?

Timing is important. Sometimes patience and perseverance is needed. Keep communication links open. It helps to know the opportunities you are looking for and being proactive towards them. Ensure you get support from other people and have the courage to ask people for their advice, ideas and support.

Keep positive.

The academic requirement is a masters level of learning (minimum) and there is a preference for a strong clinical focus and themes.
A Charge Nurse role gives good grounding for the Director of Nursing position.

 

Luke Flynn: Nurse Educator and EC Nurse

Describe what you do:

I educate and support new nursing graduates. I arrange study days in collaboration with the University of Auckland to structure and run the postgraduate paper that all new graduates undertake when they come to CMDHB. Providing support as part of the Nurse Entry to Practice Programme team.

How did you get into this role?

I started off as a new graduate 5 years ago and had one placement in a general surgery ward and another placement in the short stay unit, which lasted 1 year. The Emergency department provided me with an excellent departmental education programme helping me to evolve into my role within Emergency Care. There was a lot of support both from other staff members and in the form of training. As I gained experience, I also developed a passion for passing knowledge on, especially to fresh minds with nurse graduates who are eager and excited about learning. Being a Nurse Educator gives an opportunity to build nurses for the future and have an influence. It is an opportunity to take my practice to a new level.

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

To be a good Emergency Care nurse you need to be able to cope well under pressure, have good communication and clinical assessment skills. You need to have a willingness to learn and be able to think critically and laterally.

For my Nurse Educator role the emphasis is on supporting. You need to have a good work ethic with a sound knowledge base and have a passion for educating. Communication skills are also important.

What’s the Best part of your job?

In my currently role as Nurse Educator it is the building of professional relationships with other special areas, ward staff and other Nurse Educators
In Emergency Care it was the variety of work. No two patients are the same. There is an adrenaline rush when helping people in an emergency situation. I gained a lot of knowledge while in EC and I enjoyed the contact and comradeship with other nursing and medical staff as well as the paramedics. And I found that the roster system worked well with my lifestyle at the time.

What are the biggest Challenges?

As Nurse Educator, I found the move from a clinical role to a supportive role quite challenging. I come across new challenges each day regarding areas of specialty. I now have limited patient contact. I have to use critical thinking skills especially when organising strategies for study days which I am responsible to co-ordinate for our new graduates.

Any advice you would like to give others thinking about this type of nursing?

Nurse Educator:

There is a great sense of accomplishment when things work out and learning is achieved. You need to have a passion for passing on knowledge and developing people

Emergency Care:

Be open to learning and ready for anything!

Charlene Swanevelder: Respiratory Clinical Nurse Specialist

What had you choose Nursing as part of your career?

I like helping people and having a hands-on approach. The technical aspects of nursing were also attractive to me. I was curious to find out the physiology of the body systems.

What is your Current job?

I am a Clinical Nurse Specialist in Respiratory. I provide oxygen therapy to people ranging from premature babies whose lungs are not fully developed to the elderly and ex smokers. I am also currently involved in the sleep clinic once a week and Pulmonary Rehabilitation exercise programme once a week. I am involved in teaching sessions with the new graduate programme.

How did you get into this role?

It took a while to get the job I wanted. I had several years of experience working in a variety of settings in South Africa. Once I got to New Zealand I started working in a rest home as a stepping stone and then got involved in the meningococcal immunisation programme. I had done respiratory work before and knew that this is what I wanted to do but had to wait 6 months for the respiratory service to be established at Counties. I am glad I persisted.

What have been the biggest obstacles for you and how did you overcome these?

As I am bilingual I found that expressing myself at work, contributing at meetings while maintaining my confidence was a challenge.
Working full-time and being a single parent also places a lot of demands on my time, especially when I like to be part of school activities.
Good time-management is important and I always make sure people around me know where I can be contacted. I get my support from colleagues, managers and my children by communicating with them.

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

The job includes assessing patient needs and making good clinical judgements, so having confidence, knowing my strengths and weaknesses and having the evidence to support my decisions are necessary.
Also needed:

• Showing leadership when dealing with patients, their families and doctors
• Mentoring and role modelling
• Managing the demands of personal needs, family life and professional requirements
• Knowing what other services are available to patients
• Using technical equipment
• Interpreting data to support clinical assessments
• Being able to build a trusting relationship with patients and their families and other health professionals
• Auditing the effectiveness of your care

What’s the Best part of your job?

Making a difference for people and seeing patients making lifestyle changes. I work in partnership with patients to support their decision making on health issues. I enjoy working in the community as I am able to build trusting relationships with patients and have influence on their care and wellbeing. Seeing patients in their own home gives a deeper understanding about them and the impact their environment has on their health. Sharing information with patients and colleagues reinforces learning for me. I enjoy the autonomy and variety in my work. This is possible due the collegial support I receive from the multidisciplinary team that I work with.

What are the biggest Challenges in your job?

The biggest challenge was learning how to overcome barriers affecting patient access to care. Every patient is different and needs an individual approach. I constantly need to find innovative ways of working with people.

Any advice you would like to give other thinking about following a career in Respiratory Community Nursing?

Be prepared to grow personally and professionally. My experience of inpatient care gave me good fundamental grounding in my knowledge and confidence to make clinical assessments in the community. Post graduate studies are necessary to stay abreast with changes in both theory and practical environments. Reflection on practice and clinical judgements are skills that require practice.

Jen Schroder: Midwife

What attracted you to this job?

Originally, it was a documentary about Midwives I saw on a lazy Sunday afternoon. I was about 15 and deciding what I might like to do career-wise. The documentary showed me a role where I could work with women, be a part of a really special time in peoples’ lives and had just the right mix of spirituality and science

How did you get into this role?

I researched what would be involved and found the three year Bachelor of Health Science (Midwifery) that AUT runs. I spoke with the midwives running the programme and applied, going through their application and interview process. I completed the degree and was registered as a midwife in 2006. I was hired as a new graduate at Middlemore to gain experience in both normal and complicated midwifery.

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

One of the most important qualities is to be a caring person. The thing most people want from their midwife is for her to be caring and compassionate; we work with people often in a vulnerable state and can make a big difference just by showing we care. Also important is a passion for the work you are doing, good communication skills, and an interest in working with a diverse range of people. A sense of humour also comes in handy!

What have been the biggest obstacles for you in getting to where you are today and how did you overcome these?

For me I began my training straight from high school and was only 18 years old. This was definitely not the norm for midwives training in New Zealand and I was always the youngest. This was a big challenge for me but many more young women have entered the profession since, showing that attitude, passion and commitment are more important than age. Midwifery can be quite confronting at times. Things don’t always go the way you expect them to, learning to deal with the ups and downs, the unexpected and the sad times has helped a lot with my personal growth as well.

What’s the Best part of your job?

Definitely the people I work with! Both the members of staff and the women and their families/Whanau. I also get a lot of personal satisfaction from my job, I really enjoy the work.

What are the biggest Challenges in your job?

At the moment, short staffing and a lack of qualified midwives! A lot of women having babies in my area of work have poor health before conception which can cause lots of complications. Education around things such as diet, exercise and diabetes to help improve health outcomes also a big challenge.

Any advice you would like to give other people thinking about following a career in your area/field?

For anyone who is keen, please find out a little more about midwifery. It is a wonderful, challenging and rewarding profession. There is no mould for the perfect midwife; it suits anyone with a passion for it. Try talking to someone who is a midwife, or who is currently training. You can contact AUT for more information on studying to become a midwife.

 

Sally Arrowsmith: Project Facilitator for Whai Manaaki

What attracted you to this job?

Opportunity to learn new skills, to see the hospital and how it functions from a different perspective and to make a difference to patient care.

How did you get into this role?

Encouraged to apply by Professional Leader as she knew I was looking for new challenges.

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

A sense of humour, good skills with people, the ability to persevere and see a bigger picture, initiative and curiosity.

What’s the Best part of your job?

Seeing the hospital and systems from a different perspective i.e. not as a clinician. Learning all about quality, improvement and change management and working with the Team that I am currently part of.

What are the biggest Challenges in your job?

Trying to effect and embed change, frustrated at the slow pace of change and the attitude of some people to quality and improvement.

Any advice you would like to give other people thinking about following a career in your area/field?

I think it is always good to try different things, and to do some things well out of ones comfort zone.

Jane Lewis: Clinical Pharmacist – Orthopaedic/Surgical Ward

What attracted you to this job?

• Sincere desire to help people
• Interest in human biology and medicine
• Wanted a role were I could use my people skills
• No two days are the same
• Constantly learning

What have been the biggest obstacles for you in getting to where you are today and how did you overcome these?

Getting the courage to go to university for the first time at the age of 38. Not knowing if I would be able to keep up with all the “young ones”. I was inspired by my husband who the year before had finished his Graduate Diploma of Business (in Operations) at Auckland University. He completed it while working full-time, which was an amazing effort. He gained a lot of knowledge and confidence and met some amazing people of all ages on the 2 year course. I met one of his lecturers at his graduation dinner and she said to me “just do what feels right… what you are interested in… the opportunities will come later…you’ll see”.

It is hard pursuing something that you are not sure if you will be any good at, when you have finished the Degree and done your training. I started off gently by just doing 2 human biology papers part-time (while working 20hrs a week) to see how I would cope with studying for the first time in 22 years. It was hard but I soon got hooked and wanted to go full-time the following year.

Giving up a full-time well-paid job as a Systems Administrator for a law firm to become a poor student for at least 4 years. This is where my darling husband came in. He supported me both financially and put up with the years of stressing over exams and assignments. We sold our home and moved into a smaller more modest house to reduce our mortgage so I could give up full-time work. I got a student loan to pay for my fees and a few expenses. I also managed to get summer holiday work at a Community Pharmacy to help pay the bills and in order for me to get some experience on the job in a Pharmacy environment. It helped me try out my communication skills and practice patient counseling and health advice.

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

Excellent communication skills – You have to be able to talk to patients and be able to build rapport and get them to trust you enough to really find out what is going on with their health and their medications. Be a good listener. You also have to be able to communicate with other health professionals including nurses and doctors.

Empathy – care enough to go the extra mile when needed.

A desire to learn new things every day and know what you don’t know and find out about it. It is impossible to remember every drug and every side effect etc… what is important is not to rely on your memory and always check.

Excellent time management skills and the ability to prioritise when you have to.

Be a team player as you are part of a multi-disciplinary team both on the wards but also within the pharmacy department.

What is the best part of your job?

Knowing that you can easily make a difference to a patient’s well being in any number of different ways. Seeing a patient being discharged home from hospital and knowing that in some way you have helped to make that patient well. By optimising their medications, eliminating adverse effects, educating them about their condition and their medications, and empowering them to take better care of themselves.

What are the biggest challenges in your job?

Prioritising your time and resources. There is so much that a clinical pharmacist could do on the ward but only so much time available. We have to try and spot the important stuff first.

Spending enough time with the patient in order to get the full picture of what is going on with them. Some patients are a real challenge and compliance with medications, treatment and lifestyle changes can be a common problem.

Keeping up to date with your knowledge and finding time to search and read about the latest evidence based medications and pharmacotherapy.

Any advice you would like to give other people thinking about following a career in your area/field.

• Do what you are interested in first and foremost. That’s half the battle. If you love what you do you will almost certainly excel in it.
• Don’t be afraid to try something completely new, anything is possible.
• Being an older student is not a barrier it is a real advantage.
• Talk to as many people as you can about what you would like to do, most people are really encouraging and can help you overcome any fears you might have.

Lealofi Siō: Pacific Mental Health and Addictions Project Manager

What attracted you to this job?

I have a desire to better myself and working in Health in my view would guide me to be a person who would make change for the betterment of self and my community. From my own experiences through my family’s health issues and concerns, this was an opportunity to learn more about how issues pertaining to Pacific People were navigated.
This was also an opportunity to further develop myself and grow as a Pacific person. This role provides a vehicle for me to excel and be a positive influence for Pacific People but most importantly my children who may not have had a good start to their life but can envision a better life as they grow.
But to put it down in real terms is that health provides opportunities in roles and employment for my family to be partaking in actions that are positive for their future. This role has helped me change in my thinking towards being a husband, father and a friend to my family.

 How did you get into this role?

Prior to my current role, my experiences in a working environment varied from the aluminium industry to car sales through to call centre work with a health insurance company.

In 2003, I undertook studies in social work. While I studied I read an article by a Canadian who at the time managed one of the biggest minister’s portfolios in Britain had made a statement that impacted me. “If you can survive in the Auckland Health environment, you can survive anywhere in the world.” I graduated with the intention to work in health and gain experience. I gained employment through Tupu: Pacific service as a gambling counsellor, which I grew in role and experience to undertake other roles to include AOD, dual diagnosis, corrections and youth projects. While gaining the work experience I undertook further studies and have now completed my post grad diploma in health science (addictions).

What particular qualities do you need for this job?

‘Heart’ I believe describes the qualities needed. Having a heart that would nurture;

• A desire to learn
• A willingness to work
• Self determination
• Acknowledge to self that “my way is not the only way”
• Patience

As they say in league, ‘you can teach skill but you can’t teach heart.’ Working in health is not for the faint hearted, but the rewards are numerous and generational.

What have been the biggest obstacles for you in getting to where you are today and how did you overcome these?

My background and life experiences are the biggest obstacles. Due to choices made as a youth and the impacts it had made on my family and my own life has been a hindrance and has created an opportunity to make change.

My own family suffered illnesses such as mental health, epilepsy, diabetes, and a stroke which all impacted on family responsibilities such as incomes, family guidance and role modelling, education and incarceration.

At the beginning of my journey to get into the health sector, the experiences and the difficulty I had in understanding the practitioner’s view of practice was strange at that time for me to understand. I wondered why practitioners behaved in such a way that was talking past my family needs. I have come to understand that to overcome and understand these views is about being patient and learn what is being taught to begin to understand the world view that is presented and then raise a discussion that will one day become a paper for me to present.

What’s the Best part of your job?

The best part of my job is rubbing shoulders with innovators and world shakers that want to make a difference in their work. The opportunity to create positive actions after we have agreed to disagree really is exciting to be a part of. Why would I not want to be a part of an environment where I am:

• Learning from peers who are the experts in their fields and extending my view of the bigger picture.
• Networking with a variety of cultures and ethnicities
• Moving in a path that is more beneficial and profitable for my family, community and Pacific culture.
• Learning to overcome barriers together rather than on my own

What are the biggest Challenges in your job?

My biggest challenge is myself.
My view is not the only view to consider but in acknowledging my biggest challenge has been understanding the differences and acknowledging there are differences. Being afraid is not an option in doing the work but without wise counsel would be dangerous.

Any advice you would like to give other people thinking about following a career in your area/field?

The work is very, very exciting and though it is hard work, it is rewarding. Talk to a health professional of the opportunities in health. From your own experience you are an expert and having a qualification will just strengthen that view. I encourage you to develop yourself further and there is support from colleagues and peers across the region and nationally. The skills you gain can also lead into other leading roles such as consultancy and in non-government organisations.