Head of UoA med school receives international recognition

The head of Auckland University's medical school has received international recognition for his work in patient safety.

Anaesthesiology expert Professor Alan Merry, who also practices anaesthesia and chronic pain management at Auckland Hospital, was given honorary membership of the American Society of Anaesthesiology last week.

His citation noted his scholarly contributions to the field of anaesthesiology and his "international recognition as a highly respected patient safety advocate".

Auckland University's dean of medical and health sciences, Professor John Fraser, said it was a singularly high honour which has been awarded to only 34 people worldwide since 1935.

Dr Merry, who delivered a lecture on patient safety to clinicians from around the world in San Francisco this week, said he was very grateful for the honour.

"I feel fortunate that they have chosen to give this to me when there are many other people who also do so much to promote patient safety.

"There are lots of people who have contributed as part of the team in the work that I have done and I'm thrilled to have this recognition of that work, particularly in patient safety."

Dr Merry is a councillor of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists, the deputy treasurer of the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists, and chair of the board of the NZ Health Quality and Safety Commission.

He is also on the board of Lifebox, an international charitable initiative to improve standards of surgery and anaesthesia in low income areas of the world.

Dr Merry established the spinal cord stimulation service within the Auckland Regional Pain Service, and has a particular interest in using spinal cord stimulation to manage chronic intractable angina pectoris.

He has published widely including three books, 15 book chapters and more than 120 papers in peer reviewed journals.