My practice
I divide my time between public and private practice in Melbourne, academic roles, and national professional activities focused on advancing safety, education, and standards in anaesthesia. I work at The Alfred and, in private practice, mainly at Epworth HealthCare, as well as at Cabrini, Melbourne Private, Warringal Private, The Avenue and John Fawkner Private hospitals.
My clinical focus is anaesthesia for high-risk surgical patients undergoing complex procedures, including neurosurgery, vascular surgery, orthopaedic and trauma surgery, endocrine surgery, and interventional radiology. I also have extensive experience in simulation education, risk management, critical incident review, and medicolegal assessment.
My background is a diverse one. Before specialising in anaesthesia, I worked in emergency medicine, intensive care and flight retrieval medicine, including retrieval work in New Zealand. Along the way I have cared for people after crocodile attacks in northern Australia, and coordinated the care of a shark attack victim at Minerva Reef before their retrieval by the New Zealand Navy.
Beyond the hospital
Beyond the hospital, I volunteer as part of the medical team for the Lorne Pier to Pub swim and have supported elite sports teams as a pitchside doctor, including the Wallabies, the Wallaroos, and (with much disappointment at their closure) the Melbourne Rebels rugby team.
Outside of work, much of my time has been spent supporting my four children — now a junior doctor, an army captain, a concreter and a Year 11 student — in rugby, soccer, rowing, dance and surf lifesaving, with state-level representation and trophies along the way, including in the National Premier Leagues (NPL). Despite this, and despite years working pitchside, I’ve never quite mastered AFL knowledge. More than once, I’ve been gently informed — after caring for a patient or meeting someone in passing — that they were a Brownlow Medallist, a Coleman winner, or a well-known player. I usually just smile, nod, and appreciate their sporting achievements — once someone explains — and I admit I’ve clearly spent too much time in textbooks and not enough watching footy.
Professional leadership and standards
In addition to my clinical practice, I am actively engaged in professional leadership and standards development. I have previously chaired the ANZCA Airway Management Group and serve on the ANZCA Professional Documents Development Committee. I have also served on the ANZCA Victorian Regional Council. I contributed to the development of national and international anaesthesia guidelines, including ANZCA’s PS61 guideline on managing evolving airway obstruction, PS56 on equipment for managing difficult airways, and PS18 (A) on intravenous access and blood pressure monitoring in patients with prior axillary clearance surgery. I also led the team that wrote ANZCA’s professional guidance on operating room fires (PS55 Minimum safe facilities, Appendix 3: Fires). Although uncommon, these fires continue to be reported and can cause significant harm; the guidance helps theatre teams reduce the risk by using only the oxygen a patient needs, reducing fuel such as alcohol-based skin preparations, and minimising ignition sources such as diathermy and lasers. I am a member of the Victorian Perioperative Consultative Council (VPCC) for Safer Care Victoria, supporting quality improvement and patient safety across the state.
Education and research
My involvement in education and research includes co-authoring the ANZCA Airway Assessment resource, developing cognitive aids and apps for airway management, and co-founding national airway training courses. I have been an invited speaker and faculty member at major international conferences, including the World Airway Management Meetings (WAMM) in Dublin (2015) and Amsterdam (2019), the Royal College of Anesthesiologists of Thailand, the Combined Scientific Meeting of ANZCA and the Hong Kong College of Anaesthesiologists, and the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland. I have also been a reviewer for the British Journal of Anaesthesia and other professional publications.
“Through all these activities, my focus remains the same: delivering expert anaesthetic care with precision, vigilance, and compassion — always with patient safety at the centre.” Associate Professor Pierre Bradley