Gowland to be medical director of mobile surgical bus
August 10, 2017
Christchurch urologist Stu Gowland, who developed the country’s first mobile surgical bus, is stepping down as Mobile
Health’s managing director but will be continuing as medical director.
Mark Eager, has been appointed as chief executive of Mobile Health. Mark has been with the surgical bus organisation for
10 years.
Gowland, a real Kiwi medical pioneer, was a founding member of the New Zealand Urology Associates.
He campaigned with others for improved health on various issues at Christchurch hospital in the 1990s and was the
driving force to set up New Zealand’s first mobile surgical unit 15 years ago, board chair Keith Smith says.
“Stu, with colleagues, starting the planning of the surgical bus on a marked-out lawn and 15 years on the bus has
performed more than 21,500 procedures all over New Zealand. So much of the credit goes to Stu’s vision, foresight and
medical knowledge. Many Kiwis in rural areas are very grateful to him.
“He has been recognised in the New Year’s Honours list with a Queens Service Order (QSO) and by the Royal Australasian
College of Surgeons for his exceptional contribution to rural health with their Outstanding Services to the Community
Award.”
The mobile operating theatre was built to enable free access to low-risk elective day surgery for rural New Zealanders.
Today the surgical bus regularly visits 23 small towns and community areas around New Zealand.
Gowland established the first mobile kidney stone treatment (lithotriptsy) service in 1995 providing a nationwide,
non-invasive treatment using focussed sound waves for kidney stones. To date about 12,000 patients have been treated
with this world wide used technology.
The surgical unit runs on a five-week rotation system around New Zealand, carrying out operations over a day at Kaikohe,
Dargaville, Warkworth, Pukekohe, Te Puia, Wairoa, Taumarunui, Waipukurau, Taihape, Hawera, Levin, Dannevirke, Kapiti,
Featherston, Takaka, Motueka, Buller, Waikari, Rangiora, Oamaru, Clyde, Queenstown, Balclutha and Gore.
ends