8 April 2021Some highlights: Aotearoa NZ Anaesthesia ASM 2021 | NZSA staff news | Climate Change submission | Writ in Water - exhibition and function | Attention trainees: SATURN | End of Life Choice Act | WFSA Uniting for Oxygen Appeal | Mentorship and wellbeing | In the media | webAIRS | Events Aotearoa New Zealand Anaesthesia Annual Scientific Meeting 2021Don't miss the Aotearoa/New Zealand Anaesthesia Annual Scientific Meeting (27-30 October), co-hosted by ANZCA NZNC, NZSA and NZATS. NZSA staff newsFollowing a comprehensive recruitment process, the NZSA is very pleased to announce that it has appointed a new CEO, Michele Thomas, who will begin in the role on 28 April. Current NZSA CEO Renu Borst has been working remotely from Melbourne and her last day will be 30 April, which will help to ensure a smooth handover. Michele's previous role was CEO of Lakes Hospice Trust in Rotorua and we look forward to introducing her to members when she commences in the role. Thank you to Renu for her nine years of service to the NZSA and all her achievements for the Society. Climate Change submissionMore than 10,000 submissions were submitted in response to the Climate Change Commission's advisory report on the changes needed for NZ to meet international emissions obligations. The Climate Change Commission's Consultation report is focused on helping New Zealand to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The NZSA developed a submission, through its Environmental & Sustainability Network, which focuses on the need for a stronger emphasis on health, wellness, the Treaty of Waitangi and equity. Read our submission here. NZSA submission on PHARMAC advisory committeesThe NZSA has responded to PHARMAC's consultation which is proposing changes to improve and expand their advisory committees (the Consumer Advisory Committee and the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee). Proposed changes aim to enable consumers to share their perspectives formally, through the committees; enhance the committees' diversity; and strengthen health equity knowledge within committees. We support PHARMAC's aims and wrote: "A greater voice for consumers, with greater representation to reflect the diversity of New Zealand, will have a vital role in adding value across PHARMAC’s work as they will have input into decision making on medicine funding proposals, policy changes and strategic work." Read the NZSA's submission here. Writ in Water - exhibition and functionWrit in Water is an art exhibition and social function which aims to bring senior doctors together from across Auckland. We're looking for doctors to exhibit their work and to provide musical performances for our event. See our website for more details - tickets go on sale on our website in June! Even if you don’t wish to exhibit or perform we
would still love to see you! The Organising Committee Attention trainees: SATURNThe Supportive Anaesthesia Trainee Audit and Research Network (SATURN) is a trainee-led collaborative which assists trainees to undertake research and quality improvement projects in New Zealand. SATURN has been around for several years and successfully carried out a number of projects with others currently underway in multiple centres. Dr Matt Jenkins, the Chair of SATURN writes: "We are always keen to recruit enthusiastic, motivated trainees who want to be involved in research projects. As such, we are now advertising positions on our committee moving forward. I have found my involvement in SATURN to be very rewarding and hugely beneficial to my own professional development, and would encourage everyone with an interest in academic anaesthesia of any kind to get in touch. We accept trainees of any grade and any experience level - enthusiasm is the most important part! We have another potential upcoming project in collaboration with our colleagues from the UK and other trainee-lead research networks in Australasia. SNAP-3 is an prospective effort examining multiple outcomes relating to peri-operative frailty, and is currently in an early stage of discussion about its implementation within Australia and New Zealand. It is a fantastic opportunity to work with overseas colleagues in prospective, multi-centre research, and SATURN are keen to hear from trainees and senior medical officers across the country who would like to learn more." If you're interested in either a trainee committee position with SATURN or would like to hear more about SNAP-3 then please email Matt at saturnwebsite@gmail.com or visit our website www.nzsaturn.com. Auckland City Symposium 2021Auckland City Symposium, 17 April 2021, School of Medicine, University of Auckland The ACS will provide an exciting update on anaesthesia and the brain. An international, multi-disciplinary panel, including experts Professor Kristin Engelhard and Associate Professor Lis Evered, will cover topics including traumatic brain injury, the Perioperative Brain Health Initiative, and paediatric neurotoxicity plus the latest scientific evidence on depth of anaesthesia, management of acute stroke and novel uses of anaesthetic agents. Due to COVID, international speakers will present by video-link and online registration is offered as an option. In the event of a lockdown a fully virtual meeting will be held. More details acs.ac.nz End of Life Choice ActThe Ministry of Health is responsible for the implementation of the End of Life Choice Act, which comes into force on 7 November 2021. The Act gives people who experience unbearable suffering from a terminal illness the option of legally asking for medical assistance to end their lives. The Ministry has established a work program to implement the Act, and ensure the right workforce is in place to support assisted dying is a critical component of this work. More information on implementation is on the Ministry of Health website, where you can now sign-up to receive updates as implementation progresses. If you have any queries regarding implementation contact the team at EOLC@health.govt.nz. Support your Pacific colleagues - PACTWe are very encouraged by the number of people who have signed up to help fund a Pacific anaesthesia trainee through their Masters program at the Fiji National University. Thank you! PACT (Pacific Anaesthesia Collaborative Training) was introduced by the NZSA's Global Health Committee to support a sustainable anaesthesia workforce in the Pacific. For the equivalent of one $5 coffee per week (or more if you wish) you can help fund the entire cost of the Masters program for a Pacific trainee's education. We need more people to sign up to make this a reality for as many trainees as possible. We would appreciate you spreading the word to your colleagues. Click here to donate. Learn more about the work of our Global Health Committee on their webpage. Uniting for Oxygen AppealThe World Federation of Society of Anaesthesiologists (WFSA) recently launched the Uniting for Oxygen appeal. The WFSA is very grateful for a significant donation from the NZSA. This appeal aims to raise £100,000 to provide life-saving oxygen therapy equipment for hospitals in Nigeria and Zimbabwe. In New Zealand, we take oxygen availability for granted but this is not the case in many hospitals in resource-poor countries. In one survey of healthcare facilities in 22 low- and middle-income countries, only 61% of the hospitals had continuous supply of oxygen in the operating theatres (1). Worldwide, the need for oxygen has become even more urgent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The appeal aims to raise sufficient funds to cover the
costs and delivery of: The WFSA is working with Medical Aid International to provide equipment and training. Oxygen concentrators are particularly appropriate in resource-poor settings because they are highly cost-effective and reliable when other delivery systems are unavailable or broken. The project also includes training and on-going maintenance, both critically important in any equipment development project. Many countries are facing unprecedented challenges because of the COVID-19 pandemic and unmet surgical need. Uniting for Oxygen provides a tangible and constructive approach to help colleagues and patients in hospitals with the greatest need. Thanks again to the NZSA. Personal donations are also very welcome. Donate here. Dr Wayne Morriss, President-Elect, WFSA 1. Hadler RA, Chawla S, Stewart BT, McCunn MC, Kushner AL. Anesthesia Care Capacity at Health Facilities in 22 Low- and Middle-Income Countries. World J Surg. 2016;40(5):1025-1033. Mentorship and wellbeingMentorship can be the cornerstone of wellbeing. An article published in the Harvard Business Review says that research on the power of mentorship is pretty clear: "People with mentors perform better, advance in their careers faster, and even experience more work-life satisfaction." The article looks at how you can build a great relationship with a mentor. Read here. We also encourage you to visit the NZSA website wellness page to access a range of wellbeing resources. webAIRSThe Leaps and Bounds 2021 ANZCA ASM (27 April-4 May) is imminent so don't forget to register for the webAIRS sessions. There are four sessions involving ANZTADC analysers who will be presenting WebAIRS data at both the Joint SIG meeting and at the ANZCA ASM. These webAIRS sessions will include: critical incidents in airway management, how to enter an incident to webAIRS, and registering, reporting and conducting personal or departmental audits. More information: WebAIRS News and Publications (anztadc.net) World Congress 2021 goes virtualIn light of the ongoing impact of COVID on international travel, the WFSA and the CSARIM have decided to move to an entirely virtual World Congress of Anaesthesiologists (1-5 September 2021). Moving online provides an exciting opportunity to ensure that WCA 2021 is the most accessible gathering of its kind. Without the expense of travel and accommodation WFSA will be able to welcome the largest global community of anaesthesia and perioperative care providers ever assembled for a congress. For those who have never been able to travel to a WCA this online format opens up the possibility of attending. Advertising
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