Surgeon recognised for contribution to rural health

Highly respected NZ surgeon recognised for contribution to rural health

Friday 7 November, 2014

Urologist and Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS), Mr Stuart Gowland was today presented with the Outstanding Service to the Community Award by the College in recognition of his exceptional contribution to rural health.

The Award recognises Fellows of the College who have given long and dedicated service to their local community – more often than not unheralded – but without which the standard of surgical care in that community would have been less than society demands.

Mr Gowland established the first mobile lithotripter service in 1995, which provided an effective nationwide non-invasive treatment of kidney stones.

This significantly reduced the need for patients to travel to major centres for treatment and has provided lithotripsy services to more than 17,000 New Zealand patients.

Mr Gowland was also the visionary behind the Surgical Bus, a mobile operating theatre that has provided more than 17,500 procedures to the New Zealand community since its launch in 2002.

In the 12 years of its operation, the Surgical Bus has relieved pressure from public hospital facilities and made surgical services more readily available to those living in rural communities.

The Surgical Bus regularly visits 23 locations across the length of New Zealand, and provided surgical support to the Canterbury region in the wake of the February 2011 earthquakes.

The Surgical Bus is also an invaluable educational tool for surgeons and nurses. Its state-of-the-art teleconferencing facilities allow for consultation and discussion with specialists anywhere in the world.

The Chair of the New Zealand National Board, Nigel Willis, said that Stuart Gowland was an outstanding surgeon.

“Stu has made a very substantial contribution to the provision of high quality specialist surgical services to New Zealand’s population, particularly those living in rural areas,” Mr Willis said.

Background information for media: The award is being presented to Mr Gowland by Sir Tim Wallace today (7 November) at 1.30pm at the Rippon Hall, Wanaka. Photo opportunities will be available.

About the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS)

RACS is the leading advocate for surgical standards, professionalism and surgical education in New Zealand and Australia. The College is a not-for-profit organisation that represents more than 7000 surgeons and 1300 surgical trainees and International Medical Graduates. RACS also supports healthcare and surgical education in the Asia-Pacific region and is a substantial funder of surgical research. The College represents nine surgical specialties in Australasia being: Cardiothoracic surgery, General surgery, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedic surgery, Otolaryngology Head-and-Neck surgery, Paediatric surgery, Plastic and Reconstructive surgery, Urology and Vascular surgery.
www.surgeons.org

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