Meet the Team

Vathsala

Receptionist

Vathsala has been with the clinic for 20 years. Now that’s dedication! She is well known to our patients at Stoddard Road and her familiar presence and warm demeanour provides reassurance to all who walk through the doors.

In her free time, Vathsala volunteers at her local community organisation teaching her mother tongue (Kannada). She also enjoys music, cooking and travelling.

Shugofa

Receptionist

Shugofa keeps it cool, calm and collected at the front desk. She can help with all your general enquiries.

She speaks an impressive 7 languages! They are Urdu, Dari, Hindi, Farsi, Pashto, Uzbek, and of course English.

Ravika

Receptionist

Maria

Receptionist

Ko Tainui tōku waka
Ko Waikato me Maniapoto ōku iwi
Ko Ngāti Apakura me Ngāti Koroki Kahukura ōku hapū
Ko Maungatautari tōku maunga
Ko Waikato tōku awa
Ko Pōhara tōku marae 
Ko Maria Wilson tōku ingoa

Kia ora, I’m Maria. I came to General Practice from a Covid Vaccination Centre, part of a crew that stood up the Auckland centres and traveled to remote marae and into the community administering vaccinations. Outside of work I enjoy being with my whānau and cooking. I love food and the manaakitanga of preparing and sharing it.

Carolyn

Nurse

Carolyn has been a practice nurse for decades, including leading and managing the nursing team in her previous workplaces. We are thrilled she wanted to join GP Central.

Elise

Receptionist

Corne

Receptionist

Corne works both at the reception front-desk and behind the scenes doing administration, accounts and is an IT-wizard. She loves a good excel spreadsheet.

Dankie vir jou werk!

Chelsea

Nurse

Ruby

Health Improvement Practitioner

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday

HIPs are qualified and experienced mental health professionals. They see people of all ages and at all stages of their lives and with any type of issue related to behaviour change or emotional health and wellbeing.

All appointments with the Health Improvement Practitioner are free.

The role of the HIP:

• To do short term interventions that help clients have a more meaningful life.
• I don’t do counselling, but I can refer on if this is needed.
• I can work around anxiety/stress management strategies so that clients have the life they want to live.
• I can work on sleep and finding way to break patterns that are not working.
• Learn strategies to help manage difficult moments in life.
• I can refer on to appropriate agencies such as budgeting/gambling/breastfeeding support etc.
• We also have an Awhi Ora service where they can work with clients for 3 months to help get lives back on track or get you onto services that are needed.
• I offer hope when there is none and that everybody can make change if they want to, and it is achievable.

What can the Health Improvement Practitioner help with? 
I can help with any issue that causes you stress or affects your emotional wellbeing. This includes low mood, anxiety, stress, life balance, relationships, parenting, drugs and alcohol, pain, sleep, work issues, and more. I have seen people who just want to review their life balance, and some people who are in extreme distress.

What can I expect when I see the Health Improvement Practitioner? 
A typical consultation with me is usually 20 to 30 minutes. We go through a quick questionnaire, identify areas of life you feel you are thriving in, and focus on areas of stress. We then talk about the issue that concerns you most on the day, and I support you to find the strategies and develop a plan to manage it.

How do I book a time with the Health Improvement Practitioner?
I can usually see people immediately when you are in the GP clinic. Your GP may refer you to me after your consultation with them. You can also book a time with me online or through the reception.

Is this counselling or therapy? 
No, this is not a counselling or therapy service. However, people do find this service helpful if they are waiting for a counselling appointment, or if they want to discuss counselling options.

How do you work with the doctors and nurses?
Whenever you visit me, I will update your GP or nurse, so they are aware of how you are going and our plans.

When are you available?
I am here Monday to Friday. My first appointment is at 9am and last at 4pm.

Sally

Health Coach

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Thursday / Friday

All appointments with the Health Coach are free.

Lou

Health Care Assistant

Once part of the St John Ambulance crew taking 111 calls, Lou is now GP Central’s all action HCA and operates as part of the nursing team. If you need an ECG, she’s got you covered. Rumour has it she holds the record for the most RAT tests performed in Mt Roskill.

Shelly

Nurse

Shelly was born and raised in South Auckland, starting her nursing career at Middlemore Hospital. Prior to GP Central her most recent nursing experiences have been in endoscopy and palliative care.

Shelly loves good friends, having a good laugh and especially spending time with family.

Louise

Nurse

Liana

Nurse Lead

Liana has been a practice nurse for nearly 30 years and is passionate about primary health care. She provides the steady leadership to our nursing team. Liana graduated in her home city of Dunedin and brings that southern hospitality in her day to day work.

Liana enjoys working with people and families to enhance their wellbeing.

Sheree

Nurse

Sheree started her career as an enrolled nursing before doing further training to become a registered nurse. She has worked in many different areas of nursing but prior to coming to GP Central had spent a decade working in hospice and palliative care which she is very passionate about.

Sheree grew up and lives in West Auckland. A proud Westie! Outside of work she is family-oriented and values her close friendships and enjoys having a good laugh. 

Jane

Nurse

Jane is originally from the Philippines and moved to NZ over 10 years ago. She has been a nurse for 15 years, with experience in General Surgery, Orthopaedics and ED prior to coming to Primary Health Care.

Currently on maternity leave, she enjoys spending time with her wife, gorgeous son and their beautiful dog called Gracie.

Deidre

Nurse

Deidre has a wealth of experience in nursing. She is passionate about education and the future generation of nurses. She is involved with training the nursing students and graduates that come through our clinic.

Nellie

Nurse

We are thrilled to have Nellie join our team as a new graduate nurse. She is passionate about primary healthcare because it focuses on preventative care for the community. She believes in viewing people in a holistic manner as whanau are a pinnacle of a person’s wellbeing. Nellie’s background includes three years as a healthcare assistant at Middlemore Hospital. She’s fluent in Niuean, a fantastic asset to our clinic.

Ruth

Business Manager

Ruth has worked at Stoddard Road since 2002, first as a medical receptionist and then she was asked to step into the role of Business Manager, which she has done superbly for over 10 years.

Ruth has a tireless work ethic and is available whenever anyone needs her. Her versatility is remarkable, handling, accounts, payroll, complaints, HR matters, funding contracts, Cornerstone, and training new staff. She ensures a sense of unity in the team, amongst our busy work environment.

Ruth enjoys working in a multi-cultural area like Mt Roskill. During her younger years she lived in Samoa, Whangarei and Whanganui. Outside of work she likes to spend time with her husband and their adult daughters and their partners, which includes going on tramps or holiday together.

Dr Oonagh Turner

General Practitioner
Qualifications: MBChB, DRCOG, MRCGP, FRNZCGP

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday

Dr Oonagh is English by birth and studied and worked in Birmingham before moving to New Zealand with her husband in 2002. They now have 3 adult children and love the more relaxed, outdoor lifestyle. She has always been keen on sport and now concentrates on the swim, bike, and run of triathlon. She has worked at Stoddard Road since the new medical centre building opened over 20 years ago.

Dr Queenie Son

General Practitioner
Qualifications: MBChB, FRNCGP, PGCertWHlth

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Friday

Dr. Queenie (Sung-Eun), Son is originally from South Korea, but has lived in New Zealand for over 15 years. She went to St. Cuthbert’s College, and completed her medical training in the University of Otago in 2012. Then she spent number of years working in major hospitals in Auckland before joining GP training.

Dr. Son enjoys all aspects of general practice. She believes in patient- centred healthcare where the best health outcomes are coming from having a good communication with patients and listening to their concerns and values.

In her spare time, Dr. Queenie Son enjoys various sports including scuba diving, skiing and staying active at the gym.

Dr Logitha Sritharan

General Practitioner
Qualifications: MBChB, MRNZCGP

Days of Work:  Monday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday

Dr Logitha is originally from Sri Lanka and grew up in West Auckland. She completed her medical training at the University of Otago. After graduating, she moved back home to Auckland, working in different hospital specialties over four years, and obtained a Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology before starting her GP training. 

She enjoys the variety of general practice, getting to know patients overtime, providing patient-centred care and disease prevention.

Dr Sam Burridge

General Practitioner Registrar
Qualifications: MBChB, PGCert (MedEd), FHEA

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Thursday / Friday

Dr Sam Burridge completed his medical degree in his hometown of Auckland. Through his studies and work he has enjoyed time in New Plymouth, South Africa and London. Sam is working towards his fellowship as a GP Specialist. He has a special interest in education and minor surgeries.

Outside of work, Sam enjoys walking his dog Toby with his wife, testing his home DIY skills, and hauling trout from the Tongariro river.

Dr Iain Maclean

General Practitioner | Director
Qualifications: MBChB, Dip Obs, D.A UK, FRNZCGP

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday / Friday

Dr Iain Maclean is a born and bred Aucklander and obtained his medical degree at Auckland University. He travelled overseas and while in London obtained a Diploma in Anaesthesia and on returning to Auckland did a further year of anaesthesia before deciding that he preferred to talk to his patients rather than putting them to sleep. He obtained a Diploma in Obstetrics and having bought a practice in Mt Roskill in 1992, delivered babies for about 10 years. It has been rewarding for Dr Iain Maclean to see that some of those babies he delivered are grown up and having families of their own.

Dr Iain Maclean is married and has 3 children that are now all adults. Apart from spending time with his family he tries to stay fit with Mountain biking and is often sporting a bruise or two, and some people might not know he is also learning to play the drums.

Dr Gary Maclachlan

General Practitioner | Director
Qualifications: MBChB, Dip Obs, Dip Ger Med, FRNZCGP

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Thursday

Dr Gary Maclachlan has lived in Auckland most of his life after growing up in small country towns before moving to Mount Albert and attending MAGS. His medical training was undertaken at the University of Auckland, followed by four years of hospital training. He joined Stoddard Road Medical Centre in 1993 and has really enjoyed seeing the practice grow and develop over the years. He was previously very involved in providing maternity care which regrettably he is no longer able to offer. He has a special interest in care of the elderly and looks after a large rest home which he visits twice weekly.

He lives in Mount Eden with his wife. Their children are now all adults. When he is not working he spends his time reading, cycling and fishing.

Dr Caitlin Corlett

General Practitioner
Qualifications: BSc, MD, MRNZCGP

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Thursday

Dr Caitlin Corlett grew up in West Auckland and underwent her medical training in Brisbane, Australia. She worked there for a number of years before returning to Auckland to undergo GP training. She is currently working towards her fellowship of General Practice. She loves that primary care gives her the opportunity to get to know her patients and community. Caitlin also finds it interesting to have a range of conditions and people to see every day.

Caitlin lives with her husband in West Auckland. She loves being back in New Zealand and close to her family again – especially with all the COVID restrictions in the last few years. In her spare time she enjoys exploring her creative side with sewing and knitting projects and relaxing with some Netflix shows.

Dr Calum Cunningham

General Practitioner Registrar
Qualifications: MBChB, Clin Dip Pall Med

Days of Work:  Tuesday / Thursday / Friday

Calum was born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland and studied Medicine at the University of Dundee.
He arrived in New Zealand in 2018 and has lived in Auckland since. He worked as an Emergency Medicine registrar for a couple of years before joining Mercy Hospice where he gained the Clinical Diploma in Palliative Medicine. He is now looking to complete his General Practice training.

Outside of work, he enjoys playing football and going camping (some would say glamping) around New Zealand.

Dr Benjamin Liu

General Practitioner | Director
Qualifications: MBChB, DCH, FRNZCGP

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Wednesday / Friday

Dr Ben Liu was born in Hong Kong and migrated to New Zealand in 1991 with his family. He speaks English, Cantonese and Mandarin. He went to Rosmini College and pursued his career in medicine at the University of Otago. He completed his medical school training at Christchurch Hospital and continued GP training in Auckland. He joined Stoddard Road Medical Centre as a partner in 2015, taking over from Dr So who had worked here for over 40 years. He is very involved with training our GP registrars.

When Dr Ben Liu is not working, you are likely to find him in the water attempting to perfect the art of windsurfing, working hard to remain fit at the gym, playing a hard game of badminton or spending time with family and friends.

Dr Richard Lowe

General Practitioner | Director
Qualifications: MBChB, FRNZCGP, Clin Dip Pall Med.

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Thursday / Friday

Dr Richard Lowe was born and raised in Auckland. He is a graduate of Auckland Medical School. He is of mixed European and Chinese heritage but speaks only English. He is from a family of health professionals, and is following in the footsteps of his grandfather who was also a GP in Auckland. Dr Lowe took over from Dr Chan who worked here for over 30 years. Dr Lowe‘s special interest area is Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care. (Dr Lowe has a Clinical Diploma in Palliative Medicine). He is passionate that we think holistically when managing people’s health issues. He is very involved with training our GP registrars, and looks after two local rest homes which he visits weekly.

Outside of work Dr Lowe loves football (soccer), his children, and admits he should also mention his wife.

Dr Abby Best

General Practitioner Registrar
Qualifications: MBChB

Days of Work:  Monday / Tuesday / Thursday / Friday

Dr Abby first came to Aotearoa in 2018 after doing her medical degree in her hometown of Liverpool, UK. After working as a junior doctor in the UK and New Zealand hospitals for 7 years, she is currently working towards her fellowship in General Practice. She has an interest in global health and has a masters in parasitology and a diploma in tropical diseases. She also has a diploma in child health from the University of Auckland and has a year of experience working in paediatric hospitals in New Zealand.

Abby enjoys travelling and meeting and treating people around the world and has worked or volunteered as a doctor across 5 continents.  In her spare time she can be found doing yoga, going rock climbing or adventuring in her van. As well as English, she speaks conversational French.