Connections
As I sit on a plane bound for Indonesia, I am eagerly anticipating the coming months. By now, you’ll have read of the appointment of our new CEO Kylie McQuellin, who starts with us in early September. Kylie will land in her new role with a bang – ending her first week by joining me in Edinburgh for the Common Interest Group (CIG). This collaborative group of Anaesthetic Societies from Australia, America, Canada, South Africa, and Great Britain meets to korerō about issues facing Anaesthesia globally. It is the first time we’ve met face-to-face since 2019 and will enable both Kylie and me to make important connections with a broad range of colleagues. In the intricate tapestry of global anaesthesia, these connections form vital threads that weave together the fabric of effective medical practice, collaboration, and, ultimately, better patient outcomes.
Connections play a key role in everything that we do at the Society. Following the CIG, I am excited to attend the Australian Society of Anaesthetists’ (ASA) National Scientific Congress in Melbourne. There I look forward to hearing a dynamic array of keynote speakers, catching up with old friends, and celebrating the end of Dr Andrew Miller’s time as the ASA President. We have immensely enjoyed working with Andrew over the past two years, and I personally have appreciated his humble mentorship, dry humour, and warm friendship. The NZSA’s connection with its’ sister society across the Tasman is treasured and important, and I look forward to working alongside incoming President, Dr Mark Sinclair.
From there, we have our annual stakeholder event in Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington, followed by our face-to-face board meeting, a celebration of connection. The relationships with our stakeholders are what makes our mahi possible; connections that mean the Anaesthesia voice has a platform, that it is platformed. Transforming these faces and voices from zui to hui is invaluable; things in post-pandemic Aotearoa that I am forever grateful for.
And then the jewel in our Crown; connecting at the Aotearoa ASM in Ōtepoti Dunedin. I recently recorded a podcast episode with convenor Dr Priya Shanmuganathan and scientific convenor Dr Matt Sumner, which really made it hit home just how lucky we are in Aotearoa (episode out soon on your favourite podcast platform!). Our Anaesthetic community is so cool. The conference that the team in Ōtepoti have curated is filled with learning, wonder and delight. I hope to connect with many of you there.
Throughout this time, there’ll be many other moments of connection happening at the Society. Our immediate past president Dr Sheila Hart will connect with the ANZCA Council in September. Other board members will meet with stakeholders like ACC and Southern Cross, while our nine networks will connect virtually and in person across the motu.
There is so much to look forward to in the back half of 2023. As the days get longer and the nights warmer, I hope you too have moments of connection on your horizon. I look forward to connecting with you; in your inbox, through our podcast, or hopefully in person. Connection is what makes our Society strong.
But first, Indonesia…
