National Radiology Network
Targeting improved access and standardised service quality as it embarks on a raft of initiatives to lead improvements across the health system.
Pātiki and Waharua Kōpito patterns
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The National Radiology Network (NRN) was established in 2024 as part of Health New Zealand | Te Whatu Ora’s National Clinical Network programme.
The NRN is targeting improved access and standardised service quality as it embarks on a raft of initiatives to lead improvements across the health system.
The Network’s core function is to establish standards and models of care to reduce variation in access to health services and ultimately improve New Zealanders’ health outcomes. It will also be the clinical partner to Health NZ’s broader focus on radiology across New Zealand.
Prior to the Network being established, the National Radiology Advisory Group had been in place for 10 years, and experts from that group supported the transition.
Network members
|
Name |
Title / Role |
Organisation/Location |
|
Sharyn MacDonald |
Clinical Co-Lead 1 |
Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu Waitaha Canterbury |
|
TBC |
Clinical Co-Lead 2 |
TBC |
|
Jash Agraval |
Northern Clinical Lead (Radiology Clinical Director) |
Health New Zealand Waitemata |
|
Kathy Dryden |
Northern Co-Lead (Radiology Manager) |
Health New Zealand Te Toku Tumai |
|
Ryan Walkin |
Te Manawa Taki Clinical Lead (Consultant Radiologist/Head of Department) |
Health New Zealand – Taranaki |
|
Sarah Caswell |
Te Manawa Taki Co-Lead (Service Manager) |
Health New Zealand – Taranaki |
|
Richard Cooper |
Central Clinical Lead (Consultant Radiologist/Head of Department) |
Health New Zealand – Hawke’s Bay |
|
Karen Coleman |
Central Co-Lead (Radiology Manager) |
Health New Zealand – Capital, Coast & Hutt Valley |
|
Jill McConachie |
Te Wai Pounamu Clinical Lead (Te Waipounamu Regional Change Coordinator Radiology) |
Health New Zealand - Te Waipounamu |
|
Jenny Taylor |
Te Wai Pounamu Co-Lead/Operations Lead (Radiology Operations Manager) |
Health New Zealand - Nelson Marlborough |
|
TBC |
Rural General Practitioner |
TBC |
|
Stuart Barnard |
Digital Workstream Lead |
Health New Zealand – Counties Manukau |
|
Alistair Rumball-Smith |
Data Workstream Lead |
Health New Zealand – Capital & Coast |
|
James Entwisle |
Workforce (Medical) Workstream Lead |
Health New Zealand – Capital & Coast |
|
Kathy Dryden |
Workforce (MIT/Allied Health) Workstream Joint-Lead |
Health New Zealand Te Toku Tumai |
|
Jill McConachie |
Workforce (MIT/Allied Health) Workstream Joint-Lead |
Health New Zealand - Te Waipounamu |
|
Cathy Rewiri |
Interim National Quality Manager (Te Waipounamu Radiology Quality & Service Excellence Manager and Quality Coordinator Radiology) |
Health New Zealand - Canterbury |
Objectives
- Develop models of care and service standards for radiology services in Aotearoa with the central goal of eliminating inequity and unwarranted variation for users of radiology services.
- Work with regional radiology networks and key stakeholders to achieve consistency across Aotearoa.
- Identify and support key programmes of work that require national planning and implementation.
- Support and lead national workforce development initiatives.
- Develop and maintain processes to monitor progress in system change, delivery and outcomes for users of radiology services.
- Maintain networks across the sector that support productive relationships with consumers, whanau, and health professionals that use radiology services, along with our people working in radiology services.
Meet the Network Co-leads
Note: A second co-lead is in the process of being appointed.
Sharyn MacDonald
Sharyn MacDonald
Sharyn is a Christchurch-based consultant radiologist with over 20 years of clinical experience working for Health NZ Waitaha Canterbury and in private practice.
A graduate of the University of Otago medical school, she completed her radiology training in Christchurch before undertaking further specialty training in cardiothoracic imaging at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, Greenlane Hospital in Auckland, and Vancouver General Hospital.
Sharyn is currently the Chief of Radiology at Waitaha Canterbury and the clinical lead for the South Island radiology regional service. She has also provided leadership via the former National Radiology Advisory Group, and as a co-chair/founder of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Thoracic Radiology and chair of the Intersociety and Global Outreach committee of the Society of Thoracic Radiology, USA.
Over and above her clinical work, her experience spans service development, improvement, and innovation, both within radiology and at organisation level.
Sharyn’s leadership area of passion is setting up radiology services to succeed with delivering quality, safe and timely imaging and interventional care.
She has a particular interest in how production planning processes from the manufacturing industry can be used to help align capacity and demand and plan service delivery in health care.
Sharyn is looking forward to continuing to collaborate with her radiology colleagues and others across the health system to enhance the radiology services available to our communities.
Contact us
If you have any questions about the Radiology National Clinical Network, please contact radiologynetwork@tewhatuora.govt.nz