Northland Gastroenterology Update Online zoom meeting

Presentation starts at 6.30pm - this is part of a face to face meeting being held in Whangarei. 

The Whatu Ora Gastro team will be speaking on:

• Bowel screening update including discussion around age extension.
• IBD update – the new drug landscape
• Diet and lifestyle in the management of GI diseases

The local speakers are:

Dr Byron Theron

Byron is the clinical Lead for Gastroenterology and Bowel Screening in Northland.

Byron moved to Northland from the UK 3 years having done his postgraduate training in the West Midlands. His interests are endoscopy, inflammatory bowel disease, functional bowel disorders and medical education.

Dr Kirsty MacFarlane

Kirsty is New Zealand trained gastroenterologist with strong ties in the North. She has just completed an IBD fellowship in Adelaide and we welcome her as our 3^rd gastroenterologist in Northland. She brings highly specialised skills including intestinal ultrasound to the North.

Donna Howe

Donna is the bedrock of the inflammatory bowel disease service in Northland. She has been the continuity and support for local patients during very difficult periods without consistent consultant support.  She has been instrumental in keeping the service going and has gained a vast amount of experience in the management of all aspects of patients with IBD – both clinical and non-clinical.

Dr Mirthe van der Valk

Dr. Mirthe van der Valk is a Dutch gastroenterologist, trained in the Netherlands and South Africa, who moved to New Zealand with her family two years ago. Based at Middlemore Hospital, she specializes in hepatology and is passionate about the role of lifestyle and nutrition in NAFLD, IBD and functional diseases.