ANZCA Bulletin June 2011 - Australian and New Zealand College of ...

Western Australian
Autumn Scientific
Meeting 2011
The Western Australian Autumn Scientifi c
Meeting was held on Saturday March 19
at the University Club of the University of
Western Australia and represented the
fi rst of a two-part series of meetings with
the theme “Disasters in Anaesthesia”.
Convened by Dr Angela Palumbo,
the meeting focused on the causes and
prevention of anaesthesia disasters and
will be followed in July by the Winter
Scientifi c Meeting, which will consider
what to do when a disaster occurs.
Our plenary speaker was Professor Jan
Davies, from Canada, who gave a very
interesting lecture on “A Human Factors
Approach” to disasters in anaesthesia.
This was followed by an enlightening
presentation from senior registrar Dr
Emily Walker, entitled “Lessons from
an Airway Disaster”. Dr Andrew Miller
then spoke informatively on “Current
Medicolegal Hazards.”
The morning free paper session
consisted of fi ve very interesting and
well-presented papers by anaesthesia
trainees. The Nerida Dilworth Prize,
for the best presentation of scientifi c
material by a trainee, was awarded to Dr
Jakob Chakera, and was presented by
Dr Dilworth. Due to the high number of
quality papers submitted, a second free
paper session was held in the afternoon
and this was also well received.
Small group sessions and PBLD
sessions covered topics such as “dental
disasters”, “case fi les of a habitual
blocker”, “ALS in action” and “disasters in
evolution”. Presenters included Dr Steve
Watts, Professor Ray Williamson, Dr Wim
Smithies, Dr Joe Ng, Dr Jonah Desforges,
Dr Dick Ongley and Dr Angeline Lee. Dr
Andrew Gardner presented an interesting
case-based retrospective review of
“Anaesthesia Mortality 100 Years On.”
The DRC (Bunny) Wilson Memorial
Lecture was delivered by Dr Lynley
Hewett, who gave a very entertaining
talk entitled “Sometimes a Mysterious
Honour”.
The meeting was very well
subscribed, attended by 111 consultant
anaesthetists, 23 trainees, 21 GP
anaesthetists and 65 technicians. Many
stayed to fi nish the day with a sundowner
overlooking the picturesque Swan River.
The WA Continuing Medical Education
Committee thanks all presenters,
sponsors and attendees for making
the Autumn Scientifi c Meeting 2011
a success.
Above clockwise from top left: Speakers Dr
Lynley Hewett and Dr Andrew at the Western
Australian Autumn Scientific Meeting in
March; Western Australia’s regional committee
chair Dr Jenny Stedmon, centre, with Dr
Michele Moore and Dr Anton Van Niekerk;
Dr Nerida Dilworth with Dr Jakob Chakera,
who won the prize awarded in her name for
the best presentation of scientific material
by a trainee; Delegates Dr Tai Ma, Dr Sidney
Lau and Dr David Law were among 111
consultant anaesthetists, 23 trainees, 21
GP anaesthetists and 65 technicians who
attended the autumn meeting.
Official opening of
the WA ANZCA office
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Mrs Julie Bishop has offi cially opened the
Western Australian ANZCA offi ce, which
moved to new premises Unit 20/127
Herdsman Parade, Wembley, in October.
Guests at the offi cial opening on April
19 included active and retired Fellows,
trainees and members of the Australian
Society of Anaesthetists.
Among those in attendance were the
deputy chair of the WA ANZCA Regional
Committee, Dr Alison Corbett, who
represented the President of ANZCA,
Professor Kate Leslie, past ANZCA
presidents Dr Wally Thompson and Dr
Neville Davis, chair of the WA Australian
Society of Anaesthetists Committee
Dr Andrew Miller and chair of the ANZCA
Western Australia Trainee Committee
Dr Yvette Gainey.
The cocktail function offered an
opportunity to promote the role of the
College in providing training, education,
standards and research in anaesthesia
and pain medicine.
The offi ce is part of a new “green”
building, built to an environmentally
friendly brief. It has offi ce space for staff,
a large boardroom that doubles as a
room for exams plus a small kitchen and
bathrooms. It is located close to the city,
freeway and central hospitals and has
plenty of parking.
The Western Australia regional offi ce
services all WA ANZCA and Faculty of
Pain Medicine business and also houses
the WA branch of the Australian Society
of Anaesthetists.
Above from left: Dr Neville Davis, Dr Wally
Thompson, Dr Peter Platt, Deputy Leader
of the Opposition Mrs Julie Bishop and
Dr Tim Pavy.
ANZCA Bulletin June 2011 79