Monthly media digest: October/November 2023
30 October 2023
A digest of college news coverage for October/November 2023
Launch of ANZCA karakia
Dr Arihia Waaka spoke with Māori media in New Zealand about the launch of the ANZCA karakia. Dr Waaka was interviewed live on Radio Waatea and on Whakaata Māori (formerly Māori Television.)
Health threat from vaping reaches 'epidemic' levels among youth
FANZCA Dr Trent Cutts spoke at the Aotearoa NZ Anaesthesia ASM 2023 about vaping among New Zealand youth. A press release was published on NZ Doctor, Sunlive, Scoop, Voxy, and Dr Cutts was interviewed by Mediaworks and Newstalk ZB radio networks.
A little theatre magic (Blue Book)
A Blue Book chapter on magical distraction for children about to undergo surgery was highlighted in an article in the Sunday Herald Sun on 29 October.
The author of the article, Perth anaesthetist Dr Craig Sims and Melbourne FANZCA Dr Colleen Chew were featured in the article which reached more than 700,000 readers.
“If they go off to sleep with a smile, they wake up with a smile,” Dr Chew said.
Shortage of New Zealand pain specialists
FPM NZNC Chair Dr Chris Rumball, along with committee member Dr Karen Joseph, spoke with The Press for a 28 October article on chronic pain.
The article highlighted issues with the Burwood Pain Management Centre and the shortage of specialist pain medicine physicians in New Zealand.
National Anaesthesia Day 2023
ANZCA released three media releases to celebrate the day: 'Sickest patients to benefit from new campaign for faster recovery ,' 'Magic tricks helping to calm sickest patients' (highlighting one of the chapters in the latest edition of Australasian Anaesthesia) and 'ANZCA pilots new perioperative medicine diploma at New Zealand hospitals'.
ANZCA Vice-President Professor David Story recorded a series of radio audio grabs for Australian radio networks to promote the day. These were downloaded for broadcast across Australia in metropolitan and regional areas inccluding networks in Tasmania, Wangaratta, Toowoomba, Gippsland, Port Lincoln, Bendigo, Bathurst and Ballarat.
In New Zealand NAD appeared in the Otago Daily Times with an article about activities at Dunedin Hospital and the NZ ANZCA media release appeared on Scoop and New Zealand Doctor.
Why shingles is the ultimate nerve pain
FPM's Director Professional Affairs, Associate Professor Michael Vagg, was interviewed by The Age science writer Liam Mannix for an article explaining why shingles is the ultimate nerve pain.
The 14 October article (subscriber only) appeared in print and online editions of The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, Sun Herald, WA Today and the Brisbane Times and reached more than 1.5 million readers across all platforms.
FPM Spring Meeting: Social media is really making people sick
An FPM session on Munchausen syndrome by internet featured in a 550 word article in the Adelaide Advertiser on 7 October.
Presenter Dr Trushna Murgahayah was interviewed and photographed for the article by health editor Brad Crouch as a preview to the final day's session of the FPM Spring Meeting.
The article reached nearly 400,000 readers.
FPM Spring Meeting: National Strategy for Health Practitioner Pain Management Education
The launch of the strategy at the FPM 2023 Spring Meeting in Adelaide attracted strong media coverage across Australia.
A/Prof Mick Vagg recorded news radio interviews with ABC Radio and 2GB in Sydney for morning news bulletins on 6 October.
These were syndicated to 110 radio stations across Australia in all states and territories and reached more than one million listeners.
A/Prof Vagg also featured in live radio program segments for ABC radio Adelaide and ABC Radio Perth.
Desflurane out from WA public hospitals
Perth fellow Dr Adam Crossley was interviewed on the ABC Radio Perth Afternoons program on 4 October to explain how the removal of desflurane from WA public hospitals will reduce the carbon footprint of the state's health system and save money.