Members’ Newsletter, December 2024

Kia ora e te whanau, from the CSANZ New Zealand Regional Chair

Yet another year has whizzed by! A year of increasing health sector demands but a net decrease in available resources. But for the good people working in Heart Health who care about patients and their whanau, I really don’t know how the system copes. But it does, and I feel strongly that this is largely due to the people who simply make it work.

We have completed our stocktake of the Senior Medical Officer workforce. Our intention is to publish this data and highlight the problems via the media. In short, there is 1 cardiologist per 35,000 people in Aotearoa, as compared to 1/25,000 in Canada and 1/21,000 in Australia. These numbers are worse for regional NZ compared to urban centres and there is a 15% vacancy rate in the public sector. More detailed data on age, sex and ethnicity will be in the published version and work is ongoing for senior nurses and allied health practitioner workforce data.

The Christchurch ASM was a huge success on all fronts, and the new Conference Centre was amazing – thanks to the organising committee for delivering a superb meeting. Next year, I look forward to welcoming you to the ASM in Rotorua. We have a trio of Co-convenors with exemplary credentials in Health Equity, so I am confident that this will be a strength in 2025. The annual Te Whare Tukutuku meeting for the Māori and Pasifika Heart Health workforce will have its third edition prior to the main meeting. This is a flagship initiative of the NZ Division of CSANZ which I am proud to be part of.

In the coming months, there will be some administrative alignment between the Sydney CSANZ office and our NZ Divisional office. Please be assured that the NZ Division will maintain our special character, our focus on NZ activities and our own stand-alone ASM. The current President of our Society is Dr Mayanna Lund from Middlemore Hospital, so I am certain that NZ-specific issues are championed at the Board level.

I acknowledge Kate Ward’s work over the last decade and welcome Andrew Thomson, our new Executive Officer. Some of you may remember Andrew when he worked in this role prior to Kate, when the office was based out of the RACP offices. Andrew is available to all Members for assistance with CSANZ-related activities.

New Zealand CSANZ ASM 2025, Energy Events Centre, Rotorua, 23 – 25 May 2025

The 2025 ASM preparation is coming along nicely! Early bird registration is open and closes on Monday, 21 March 2025.

The Co-convenors for 2025 are:

Confirmed Keynote Speakers:

Dr. Heidi Connolly
Dr. Heidi Connolly specializes in pregnancy complications and outcomes in patients with cardiovascular diseases, as well as heart valve disorders, prosthetic valve thrombosis, and carcinoid heart disorders, seeking improved treatment options in these areas.

Dr. Paul Friedman
Dr. Paul Friedman, a Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiologist and Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic, focuses on adult congenital heart disease and leads the High Dimensional Phenotyping Laboratory.

Dr. Swati Mukherjee
Dr. Swati Mukherjee, an interventional cardiologist and researcher, is the founder of the Victorian Heart and Lung Clinic and the first Australian woman cardiologist of color to receive the SCAl-USA Fellowship for interventional cardiology excellence.

Vicki Wade
Vicki Wade, a senior Noongar woman with over 40 years in health, has received national awards for her leadership and contributions to Indigenous heart health policy, research, and service delivery in Australia.

Click here for further details on the keynote speakers: Keynote Speakers – CSANZ ASM 2025

The call for abstracts is now open!

Encouraging abstracts under the following themes:

  • Basic Research
  • Congenital / Genetics / Paediatrics / Pulmonary
  • Coronary Artery Disease
  • Electrophysiology
  • Heart Failure
  • Imaging
  • Nursing
  • Rehabilitation / Prevention
  • Structural and Valve Disease 

We also encourage you to consider applying for the variety of ASM Awards:

  • 1 x $7500 Young Investigator Award
  • 1 x $3500 Equity and Diversity Award – *new award*
  • 1 x $3500 Nurse Member Investigator Award
  • 1 x $3500 Allied Health Member Investigator Award
  • 1 x $3500 CSANZ Equity Prize
  • Up to three $100 Best Poster awards (gift vouchers)

For information visit www.csanzasm.nz/abst/award-guidelines

There are also Travelling Scholarships and Nurse and Allied Health Professional Development opportunities:

  • 12 x $1,200 Travelling Scholarships for ASM 2025 Rotorua – closing date for applications 21 March 2025
  • 1 x $1,500 Amjad Hamid Rural Travelling Scholarship to NZ ASM – closing date for applications 21 March 2025
  • 2 x $3,000 Nurse Member and Allied Health (1 award each) Professional Development Scholarship – closing date is 04 April 2025

For any further information on the Travelling Scholarships and PD awards, contact info@cardiacsociety.org.nz

Nominations for the NZ Cardiac Medal Award

Nominations are open for the NZ Cardiac Medal in 2025. This award is for a member of the Cardiac Society who has made an outstanding contribution in New Zealand by making heart care better for New Zealanders.

Nominations close on 04 April 2025. Download a copy of the terms of reference and application form.

Return your nomination to the Executive Officer by 04 April 2025 – contact info@cardiacsociety.org.nz

Upcoming NZ Resuscitation Council Conference – Save the Date

The New Zealand Resuscitation Council (NZRC) has confirmed the dates for its next conference:

Friday, 15 May, and Saturday, 16 May 2026, in Christchurch.

The NZRC has requested that member organisations share these dates to help avoid scheduling conflicts with other planned meetings. While some overlap may be unavoidable, your consideration is greatly appreciated.

Mark your calendars!

Tony Scott – Chair New Zealand Resuscitation Council

Heart Foundation update:

Transition of Heart Helpline to Heart Line

On 11 November 2024, the Heart Foundation transitioned the Heart Helpline service to a new Heart Line. This non-clinical service, managed by a Consumer Care Representative. This now provides:

  • Heart health information
  • Navigation of health services
  • Access to resources
  • Advice on post-event support

Key Details:

  • Why the change? The Heart Helpline was launched during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the shift in healthcare needs and the return to face-to-face activities for Registered Nurses, the new service focuses on general consumer care and linking people back to primary care.
  • The Heart Line will retain the same number: 0800 863 375 or 09 571 9191.

What to do next?
Please inform your colleagues and patients about this change if relevant. There’s no other action required, and the Registered Nurses remain available to you as usual.

For further questions, contact Jane Liggins at janel@heartfoundation.org.nz

Dr Malcolm Leggett

Associate Professor Malcolm Legget MB ChB, MD, FRACP, FACC, FCSANZ

Dear CSANZ Colleagues,

It is with great sadness that we note the passing of Associate Professor Malcolm Legget, who died surrounded by his family on 1st November 2024 at Te Toka Tumai Auckland Hospital. On behalf of the Cardiac Society, we extend our deepest sympathies to Carrie and their children George, Harry and Emelia, extended family, friends and colleagues.

Malcolm undertook his undergraduate medical training at the University of Otago and cardiology training at Green Lane Hospital. In 1993 he was awarded a prestigious Heart Foundation Overseas Training Fellowship to work with Professor Catherine Otto at the University of Washington Seattle, this from Professor Otto: “Malcolm’s research time in Seattle was right at the start of productive research using cardiac ultrasound and he was a key author on several papers about valve disease and Marfan syndrome that are still cited by researchers today”.

On returning to New Zealand he was appointed as a key member of the cardiology team at Green Lane Hospital in 1995 where he was Director of Echocardiography for 5 years, and subsequently worked at the Green Lane Cardiovascular Service at Auckland Hospital from 2003. He was involved in early pivotal research on the development of 3-Dimensional echocardiography. This research formed his thesis entitled “Quantitative Three-Dimensional Echocardiography” for which he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the University of Otago in 2008.

Malcolm was a co-founding member of The Heart Group (formerly the Auckland Heart Group). He has delivered excellence in clinical care throughout his career to the benefit of the countless patients he has cared for. He was part of the team that introduced CT coronary angiography and percutaneous aortic valve implantation into clinical practice in Auckland. He has co-edited, and co-authored a bestselling textbook on perioperative transoesophageal echocardiography, and numerous other scientific papers.

In 2014, Malcolm joined the faculty at the University of Auckland where he was appointed as Associate Professor in Medicine. He has made important original contributions in the understanding of the causes and treatment for people with heart disease. He embraced teaching of medical students and mentored and supervised younger cardiology trainees during their career development which has ensured continued excellence of clinical care for the longer-term future.

Malcolm had a longstanding relationship with the New Zealand Heart Foundation including serving on the Board since 2016 and was instrumental in the set-up of the Heart Foundation Heart Health Research Trust which has supported the Heart Foundation Chair of Heart Health at the University of Auckland for over a decade.

In 2011, Malcolm was diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer, and fought a long and hard battle against this for 13 years. Malcolm worked collaboratively to lead change for people with neuroendocrine cancer in New Zealand. He worked with philanthropic donors to establish a research team at the University of Auckland to study this type of cancer in the lab and who could also build a national framework for clinical care. He was foundation Chair of the patient advocacy group (now called Neuroendocrine Cancer NZ) who successfully advocated for funded peptide receptor PET scanning and then peptide receptor radionuclide therapy for people with neuroendocrine cancer in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Malcolm made a substantial contribution to the lives of so many with heart disease and neuroendocrine cancer. Professor Mark Richard (Christchurch) reflecting here on Malcolm’s contributions: “Malcolm came to represent constructive courage and fortitude in the face of extreme adversity. He made every day count and converted his problem into working towards solutions for others. Furthermore, that he did this for more than decade speaks to extraordinary perseverance”. A resounding response following Malcolm’s funeral and wake was that so many people did not understand the extent of what he had achieved in his life.

His dedication to charitable and professional causes speaks to his love of his fellow New Zealanders. He had an extraordinary ability to take everyone willingly along with him and equally characteristically he did this humbly, effectively, without any public fanfare.

Professor Rob Doughty (Auckland) and Professor Gerry Wilkins (Otago)

Bites

The APHRS Summit has been confirmed for Auckland from 28 February to 1 March 2026. Be sure to mark your calendars! Further details will be shared in due course.

Kate Ward retired as Executive Officer of the NZ Region of CSANZ in September this year after a noteworthy decade of service.

During her 10 years with the society, Kate made important contributions to advancing the mission and operations of the NZ Region. She played a pivotal role in the Annual Scientific Meetings, fostering connections between members, and ensuring the seamless administration of the society’s activities. Her dedication, professionalism, and attention to detail have left a lasting legacy within the organisation. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Kate for her years of commitment and wish her all the very best for a fulfilling and well-deserved retirement.

Dr Mayanna Lund, Kate Ward, Dr Selwyn Wong and Prof Martin Stiles

I am delighted to share with you that I have recently been appointed as a Professor of Medicine at the University of Auckland. Thanks to all of you who have supported me in achieving this.

Merry Christmas from CSANZ

Wishing you all a fantastic festive season! Whether you’re on duty saving lives, off on an adventure, catching up with family and friends, or simply relaxing by the beach (slathered in SPF 50+, of course), I hope you find some time to recharge and enjoy.

Here’s to a happy, healthy, and heart-strong 2025!

Warm wishes,

Martin

Chair, CSANZ NZ Region