Carefirst Merrilands

Craig is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors NZ, Chairs the Taranaki IoD Branch committee, and also serves on the IoD National Council. 

He enjoys developing strong Environmental, Social and Governance capabilities in businesses and is passionate about the positive impact that General Practice can make to a local community. To achieve this, his focus is on the well-being of clinical and non-clinical staff at the practices in the group.

Craig holds a number of Independent Director roles and he is currently Chair of Edison Consulting Engineers and is a non-executive Director of the FBT/Osflo Group, Egmont Seafoods and OurCloud. He lives in Oakura in Taranaki and has had varied interests over the years including being a private pilot, and continues to be a dedicated outdoor adventure fan!

My home town is Christchurch and I attended Otago School of Medicine.

I started as a Jr House Surgeon in New Plymouth (despite being an avowed Cantabrian) and fell in love with Taranaki.

I am the Mum of 3 beautiful children of whom I am so proud – Christopher, Isabella and Claudia. I also have a German Shepard called Elsa and 2 very naughty Burmese cats.

I love the outdoors and anything adventurous including skiing white water kayaking mountain biking and almost anything that involves being in the surf 

The best part of my job is having the privilege of caring for my patients and having such an awesome bunch of colleagues – the Carefirst staff .

Originally born and raised in Auckland, Brittany moved to New Plymouth during her final year of Medical Training. After graduating in 2018, she spent four years gaining experience in various specialties at Taranaki Base Hospital, acquiring a Diploma in Paediatrics along the way. She is now pleased to commence her career in General Practice at Carefirst. Outside of medicine, she enjoys sewing, yoga, rock-climbing and hiking.

Connor is a General Practice Registrar. He is a local, being born and having grown up in New Plymouth. He went to Otago University graduating in 2016. He lives in New Plymouth with his wife who is a primary school teacher and his two labradors. He worked at Taranaki Base Hospital for five years across many departments before moving into General Practice in 2022. He has a diploma in Paediatrics and works part time in our Urgent Care. He is a big football fan and plays in the local premier competition. Outside of work and football he enjoys spending time with his family, and all things active.

Duncan was born and raised in New Plymouth. He left after 2009 to attend medical school in Auckland. Upon graduation in 2015 he returned to New Plymouth to spend his junior doctor years in Taranaki Base Hospital. He spent the following 4 years working as a Medical Officer for the Royal New Zealand Army Medical Corps, a role that enabled him to gather more experience in Musculoskeletal medicine and sexual health. He has a Post-Graduate Diploma in Sports and Exercise Medicine and has spent a year in a primary care clinic with a focus on providing sexual health services to the Rainbow community. Outside of work, he enjoys a raft of sporting activities (but mainly Soccer), Travel, and spending time with his two dogs. 

Local Taranaki resident Emily is descended from a long line of medical professionals in the region, including her father, a practising family physician. She attended medical school in Auckland and graduated in 2017 with the top award for general practice. She spent several years working as a junior doctor at Taranaki Base Hospital where she gained experience in many areas of medicine including two years in paediatrics. In 2022 she moved into the community to join the team at Carefirst Westown.  She adores her job as a general practitioner because she believes it allows her to have the biggest, longest-lasting impact on the health of her patients. She holds a diploma in child health from Otago University and is passionate about women’s and sexual health as well as the health of children and adolescents. When she’s not working, she likes to do Pilates, create art, go on walks with her dog Winnie, drink excellent wine, garden, and most of all spend time with her friends and family. 

It has been my good fortune to have lived in New Plymouth for most of my life and my wife and I have brought up a large family here. I trained at Auckland Medical School and started at Westown Medical Centre in 1988. Nowadays, I am enjoying being able to do some Rest Home work and am gradually reducing my work hours overtime.

Hannah is a New Plymouth local who attended medical school at The University of Auckland. After graduating as a doctor in 2017 she returned to New Plymouth to work at Taranaki Base Hospital. During her time there she completed diplomas in both Child Health and Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In 2022 she moved into General Practice, joining the team at Moturoa Medical Centre. Hannah is expecting her first child towards the end of 2023 and plans to return to part time work in the not-too-distant future. In her limited spare time, she enjoys renovating and spending time outdoors. 

I graduated from Medical university in Russia in 2003.  I worked at Taranaki Base Hospital before my training as a GP here in New Zealand and have been working in Merrilands Medical centre since 2012 in General medicine. I have 2 children 9 and 7 years old and enjoy travel and gardening.

Kiyomi grew up in British Columbia, Canada and moved to New Zealand at the age of 21 to study medicine at the University of Otago, graduating in 2010. Her father is second generation Japanese-Canadian and her mother is New Zealand European from Ngāruawāhia.  Kiyomi worked at Taranaki Base Hospital for her first two years and subsequently joined the GP training scheme in New Plymouth and has remained with CAREfirst from 2012 onwards and is now a part owner of CAREfirst. Kiyomi holds a Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She has interests in Women’s Health, Lactation Support, Child & Adolescent Health and a passion for health gains from climate action and community health initiatives. Kiyomi lives with her husband and three young children. She enjoys being creative through graphic design, homemade fancy dress costumes and art with her children. She loves gardening for all the health benefits it provides and most of all spending time with her whānau. 

Dr Lucy Gibberd has been a partner at Carefirst since early 2002. She trained in medicine in the UK and then came to New Zealand as a junior doctor at Taranaki Base Hospital in 1991. After several years in hospital medicine, she decided to train as a GP, first in Cornwall in the UK and then back in Taranaki. She joined the Carefirst group when it was in its infancy and has since then been dedicated to providing high quality patient care. She has a special interest in dermatology having completed a diploma in that subject in 1999 and having spent some time working at Taranaki Base Hospital in the Dermatology outpatient department. She is also interested in GP training, having been the RNZCGP Medical Educator for the Taranaki region for a number of years. Currently she splits her time between her GP practice and her other role as a Medicolegal Consultant for the Medical Protection Society. She is married to Dr Geoff Tvrdeich and they have 3 children together. She enjoys the outdoors – skiing and tramping, but also enjoys sewing and knitting, when she can find the time.

Marcel qualified as a doctor in 2017 studying at Auckland Medical School. He then went on to work as a junior doctor at Taranaki Base Hospital. During this time, he completed extra study completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology as well as a Postgraduate Diploma in Child Health from Otago University. He is currently completing his GP training at Carefirst Moturoa. He enjoys working with young families but also has an interest in elderly patients. Marcel spends his time outside work with his partner and two young children. He was drawn to Taranaki by the lifestyle it offers young families, in particular the beaches, lakes and walking tracks.

Matt grew up in Whanganui before moving to New Plymouth via medical school in Dunedin in 2018. He is interested in how societal shifts and trends influence our health and wellbeing and how this presents in his clinic.

He lives with his wife, daughter and forever energetic dog . Outside of work he enjoys films, games, books, running and some very amateur photography.

Nelia is originally from South Africa and qualified as a medical doctor from Stellenbosch University in 2004. She lived in Aberdeen, Scotland from 2007 – 2019 during which time she mainly worked in General Practice and also completed her GP training with the Royal College of GPs. In 2019 she moved to Taranaki with her husband and 2 boys. In 2020 she joined the team at Merrilands. She has a family planning diploma and special interest in minor surgery. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family outdoors, cycling, camping and working on the golf!

Paul is from the UK, and came to New Plymouth for a short holiday in 2009. He has a wife and four daughters. Outside of work, Paul spends a lot of time with his family, enjoys all sport, painting and watching movies. His interests include foot and ankle problems, and sports medicine. He has been team doctor for the Taranaki Bulls since 2017, and has previously worked with the Wellington Phoenix soccer team, Chiefs Rugby, and the Central Pulse netball team.

Riaan was born in South Africa and  obtained his medical qualifications in South Africa as well as New Zealand.

He practised medicine in South Africa, Australia and Ireland, before relocating to New Zealand in 2013.

His special interest is Urgent Care and he is a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care.

In his spare time he likes to do gardening and landscape photography.

Dr Sarah Prior was raised in Masterton, and she is proud to be her family’s 4^th generation General Practitioner. She trained through University of Otago in Dunedin and Wellington. She joined Carefirst Westown in 2013, before relocating her practice to Carefirst Moturoa in 2021 after returning from maternity leave. She enjoys the continuity of care in general practice, and so caring for families is a real highlight. She also enjoys women’s and sexual health, paediatrics (children’s health) and transgender medicine. She enjoys teaching and supervises a GP registrar. She feels privileged to be a GP, caring for people and their families through life’s ups and downs. She loves living in New Plymouth with her husband, two children and dog, Otto. Her interests include art, travel, live music, good food and great wine. 

I am from a dairy farm just south of Hawera. My parents still live there so I visit regularly.

I trained through Otago university – spending my first 3 years in chilly Dunedin before moving up to Christchurch for my clinical training.

After university I returned to my home province and started working at Base hospital. I spent 3 years here in various departments before starting my general practice career at Merrilands at the end of 2019. I have joined the GP college this year as a GPEP1 which is the first step in achieving my goal of becoming a fellow of the college. Still new to the profession, I am focusing on building my skills in all areas of general practice rather than finding a special interest right away. I do have a passion for womens’ and reproductive health and hope to do further training in these areas in the future.

I love being a GP because I enjoy getting to know my patients and working with them to achieve their health goals.

Outside of my work I enjoy jogging, catching up with friends over a coffee and cooking. I love Taranaki not only because it is home, but also for the beautiful sea and mountain views and the relaxed lifestyle it offers.

Tēnā koutou katoa

Ko Ingarangi me Kanata nga whakapaparanga mai

Ko Hertfordshire te whenua tupu

Kei Ōākura au e nohu ana

E Mihi ana ki ngā tohu o nehe, o Taranaki e noho nei au

He Tākuta tamariki au i Te Whatu Ora Taranaki

Ko Vicky George taku ingoa

Tēnā tatou katoa

I am an experienced Paediatrician and mother of three wonderful children.

I graduated with my medical degree from Barts and the Royal London School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London, in July 2004. My first paediatric job was in the Waikato in August 2005 and I have been working in the Paediatrics ever since.

I am a Member of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, UK and a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, Paediatrics and Child Health division.

The Paediatric Department in Te Whatu Ora Taranaki has been where I have been working,  since January 2020.

I have worked in General Paediatrics, Neonatal Units, Community and Developmental Paediatric clinics in Hamilton, Jersey (Channel Islands), London, Wellington and New Plymouth. I have specialist interests in Neurodiversity including ADHD, ASD and child development. I have experience in supporting sleep issues and breastfeeding in babies and young children.

Having recently completed some Public Health papers this year at University of Auckland on Māori Health and Population Health. I strive to be a supportive, non-judgemental ally to all.

I look forward to meeting you.

INFORMATION FOR PATIENTS AND THEIR WHANAU

Service Offered:

I offer Paediatric clinical assessment which includes history and examination, investigations and planning. For all assessments I send out a history and development questionnaire in order to optimise our time and get some background prior to the appointment. If the issues are developmental or learning based I can also send a questionnaire to the preschool/school in order to get an idea of the levels they are achieving, and the issues their teachers are experiencing. It is helpful for you to find out the email contact of the teacher who is best able to answer these questions, and ask them to look for the email.

For ADHD assessments we send out Conners 4 questionnaires via email to two of the options of school, parents and self (self for older children or those who have left full time education.) These questionnaires cost an extra amount, payable prior to, and separately from the appointment, but enable an objective review of attention and behaviour in different situations. The cost for this is $30 total.

Prior to your appointment I will ask for permission to access your medical records at Taranaki Base Hospital.

Making an Appointment:

Bookings are made via the admin team, email specialistservices@carefirst.co.nz Ph 06 753 9505 ext 761. You may need to leave a message. The admin team work Monday, Wednesday, Friday.

Appointments are available on Tuesdays between 9.30am and 3.30pm. Follow up appointments can be face to face or telephone consults.

At this time I am not able to offer advice over email.

Funding and Payment:

Payment for Conner’s 4 questionnaires, $30, is payable prior to the appointment. Payable to Taranki Paediatrics, Acc No. 03-1566-0081086-003. Use your child’s name as a reference please.

Payment for the appointment is required on the day of the appointment unless a prior arrangement has been made.

If you are a Southern Cross Insurance member Admin will do a pre-approval of your care and let you know if there is any money owing e.g. shortfall or excess depending on the plan you have. If you have medical insurance with another company please check their refund system.

What to bring:

Any previous medical letters from specialists not available through Te Whatu Ora Taranaki.

An accurate list of current medications including vitamins and supplements.

Fees*:

Simple Initial Consultation                          $400

Simple Follow up Consultation                   $250

Complex Initial Consultation                       $580

Complex Follow up Consultation                $410

Telehealth Follow up consultation              $230

6 week Well Child check                              $150

Conners 4 questionnaires (ADHD)            $30

Admin will advise you prior to the appointment whether your referral classes you as a simple or complex assessment, and whether Conners 4 questionnaires will be helpful.

There are some extra fees for more in depth Developmental and Autism assessments. These will be discussed prior to the appointment as they are not always needed.

ADHD and more complex cases will likely require follow up appointments in order to complete the assessment, prior to discharge to GP ongoing management.

If you would like to discuss significant concerns in your baby check it is better to book a longer appointment so we have time to address these properly.

*fees are inclusive of GST and are accurate at time of publishing, September 2023.

Born in Taiwan, raised in Dunedin. Studied at Otago Uni. Been at CAREfirst for 3 years. Special field of interest women’s health and travel having lived overseas in West Africa for nearly 5 years. Taranaki is a great place to raise little kids, have daughters 6 and 4 now, enjoy hiking, gardening (love to keep trying although I don’t have much of a green thumb!), and my 2 Basenji cross dogs.