Cairns Anaesthesia Staff

The CAA is composed of:

  • Senior Staff Anaesthetists
  • Anaesthesia Registrars & Provisional Fellows
  • Emergency Registrars
  • ICU Registrars
  • Rural GP Anaesthetists
  • Visiting Medical Officers

Multiple nationalities and cultural identities are represented, as well as a wide range of professional and recreational interests and skills.

The senior staff profiles below provide a guide to the various interests and activities available in the department.

Name

Position / Roles

Areas Of Special Interest

Dr James Sartain

Director
Pain Medicine CFT

Acute Pain
Perioperative Medicine, Obstetric Anaesthesia

Dr David Mecklem

Deputy Director
Opthalmic Anaesthesia SSUS

Interventional Pain Management
General & Tropical Intensive Care
Training & Education
Allergy Testing

Dr Andy Potter

ANZCA Northern Rotation Supervisor

Training & Education
Regional Anaesthesia
Ultrasound in Anaesthesia
Trauma

Dr Vesselin Petkov

ANZCA Supervisor of Training

Ultrasound in Anaesthesia
Training & Education
Clinical Pharmacology

Dr Billy Meade

ANZCA Supervisor of Training
Introductory Training Tutor
Paediatric Anaesthesia SSUS

Paediatric Anaesthesia
Training & Education

Dr John Barry

Peroperative Medicine CFT 

Rostering Applications & Development
History of Anaesthesia
Obstetric Anaesthesia

Dr Sandy Donald

Union Representative 

Trauma
Military Critical Care

Dr Emile Kurukchi

Orthopaedic Surgery SSUS 

Regional Anaesthesia
Ultrasound in Anaesthesia
Retrieval Medicine and Trauma
Diving and Hyperbaric Medicine

Dr Stuart Luckie

Neurosurgery & Neuroradiology CFT
Vascular Surgery & Interventional Radiology SSUS
Departmental Welfare Officer 

Simulation and Crisis Management
Training and Education
Critical incident Monitoring

Dr Heather McDonald

Operating Theatre Management Committee 

Environmental Issues in Anaesthesia

Dr  Nayden Naydenov

Obstetric Anaesthesia & Analgesia SSUS 

Paediatric Anaesthesia
Regional Anaesthesia
Obstetric Anaesthesia

Dr Peter Schuller

Plastics, Reconstructive and Burns Surgery SSUS 

EEG Monitoring during Anaesthesia
Training & Education

Dr Penny Strickland

Resuscitation, Trauma & Crisis Management CFT 
Consultant Roster Officer

Simulation & Crisis Management
Paediatric Anaesthesia

Dr Paul Talbutt

General surgical, urological, gynaecological and endoscopic procedures SSUS
Thoracic surgery SSUS
General Anaesthesia & Sedation CFT 

Chronic Pain
Simulation & Crisis Management

Dr Nigel Thomson

 

Biostatistics
Perioperative Echocardiography

Dr Jonell Victor

Consultant Roster 

Obstetric & Paediatric Anaesthesia

Dr Eldon Ward

Airway Management CFT
Head & neck, ENT, Dental and ECT SSUS 

Advanced Airway Management
Anaesthetic Equipment

Dr Jed Mangano

Registrar Roster Officer 

Training and Education
Rostering
Obstetric Anaesthesia

Dr Peter Elepfandt

Simulation & Crisis Management
Education/Training

Dr Dan Lazzari

Scholar Role Tutor 
Website management

Simulation & Crisis Management
Trauma
Regional Anaesthesia
Paediatric Anaesthesia

Dr Laura Khodaverdi

Departmental Welfare Officer 

Training & Education
Safety & Quality
paediatric and ENT surgery
Departmental Aquatic Officer

Dr Andy Wright

Blood Management Committee 

Obstetric Anaesthesia
Point of Care Coagulation Tests

Dr Dan Foster

 

Dr Danielle Volling-Geoghagn

 

Retrieval Medicine
Regional Anaestehsia
Opthalmic Surgery
Trauma

Dr Sonia Arwadi

SOT, CICM/FACEM Supervisor, Critical Care RMO Supervisor

Regional Unicorn Expert

Dr Luke Matthews

Part 2 Teaching Facilitator 

Teaching

Dr Simon Porter

IT Support Officer, M&M Facilitator

Altitude

Dr Sebastian Karalus

Medical Student Teaching, PACU Liaison

Audit

Dr Sean Newell

ICU Liaison

Paediatrics, Echo

Dr Rob Grace

ICU Liaison

Dr Catherine Hellier

Environmental Practice