The Doctors Whakatipu - Frankton

Renee Rangi is our newest nurse to join the team late last year.

Originally from Southland, Renee has had vast experience as a patient within with the NZ healthcare system her entire life, having grown up with Cystic Fibrous, and receiving a Lung transplant 2 years ago.

Renee studied enrolled nursing. She then worked in Joondalup, Perth for six years dealing with pre- and post-operative care, cataract surgery, endoscopy, and rehabilitation.

Renee has a special interest in minor surgery and healthcare for older people. She also has an eight-month-old pup, Reggie, who she takes everywhere.

“Sophie is our new Health Coach and Community Support Worker. 

Originally from the UK, she has been living in Queenstown for the past 7 years. 
Whilst in the UK, Sophie worked within mental health and wellbeing, and for the past two years as a phlebotomist here in Queenstown.  

As a Health Coach, Sophie’s role is to help support patients in better understanding of their health and empowering patients in making positive behaviour changes around their health and wellbeing. As a Community Support Worker, Sophie can provide practical support out in the community by helping develop skills to make positive health and wellbeing changes. This can include home visits, making connections to other services and even accompanying patients to these services.

Sophie is based at Shotover on Thursdays and Frankton on Fridays. Her sessions are usually 30 minutes and are free for all enrolled patients.  She is available for Community Support Work on Tuesdays

Outside of work, Sophie loves a good boxset, getting out for walks and exploring different parts of the South Island”

Adela was born and raised in the Czech republic.

She has been living in Queenstown for 6 years. She studied and graduated as an Addictologist in Czech republic, so her interests are addictions and mental health.

Outside of work Adela loves getting outdoors, walking a dog, camping, hiking, skiing, kayaking and travelling (last big trip was to Nepalese Himalayas and India for few months). 

Alysha is a Health Improvement Practitioner (HIP) recently moved to Queenstown. 

HIP’s are registered health professionals who work alongside the practice team offering an additional free level of care.

HIPs are generalists and can work with any enrolled patient for any reason that may be concerning them (mental health, social health concerns, addictions, sleep, physical health concerns etc).

 Alysha is a Health Psychologist by background with a passion for increasing access and choice in healthcare, prevention, and early intervention.

Alysha is based at Frankton on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and is at Shotover on Thursdays. Her sessions are normally 30 mins long and are free of charge to enrolled registered patients. Our enrolled patients are welcome to book their appointments with Alysha directly or talk to any of our clinical team about connecting with her during their usual consultations.

Alysha is a big fan of the outdoors, mainly mountain biking, skiing, hiking, surfing, and basically anything that gives her adrenaline and endorphins.

Chi graduated from Cardiff University in 2007. After working in Wales as a junior doctor he moved to NZ in 2009 and has never looked back. He gained further experience at Waikato, Thames, Wellington and Hutt hospitals before completing his GP training in Wellington and Christchurch. 
Chi enjoys all aspects of general practice and has special interests in palliative care and minor surgery.

Outside of work Chi has a wide range of interests. He practices yoga and meditation and is a keen sportsman, playing competitive tennis. He also enjoys snowboarding and mountain biking and is excited to explore all Queenstown has to offer.

I have lived in Queenstown for around 22 years (almost a local). I’m married to Neville and have two adult boys born and raised in Queenstown. I love living in the Whakatipu basin with all the outdoor activities from the walks to the vineyards. I have worked at The Doctors for about 3 years now and love the interaction with patients and the amazing team I work with.

The friendly face on reception as administrator for over 7 years, arrived in Queenstown in 2009 in her early 20s. 

She has used every opportunity to educate herself, studying finance and business, earning herself a Diploma in Money Management, Hotel Management and Mental Health, and a diploma in interpretation to Portuguese, specialising in health care, ethical challenges, mental health during covid, migration matters and working with police. Fabi is currently studying health science and loves getting out in the outdoors. She won two categories in the Spirit of Wakatipu Awards 2019 – Health and Wellbeing and the People’s Choice Award and is an active member of the church who loves helping our community. 

Anne is another of our nurses originally from the area. She has post grad qualifications in Cardiology/Cardiothoracic Nursing and Health Management. After 18 years living and travelling overseas as expatriates and family grown up, she returned to settle back in Queenstown. Anne has expertise in travel medicine, women’s health, child and family health and cardiology. When she is not working her interests lie in outdoor activities, skiing, mountain biking, hiking and more recently golf.

Olivia is from the Queenstown area, originally growing up an hour away in Southland. She has been living in Queenstown for 17 years with the exception of moving away to study and work, Olivia has been with our practice for 7 years taking some time to travel and live overseas in between. Her interests in nursing focus on general primary/community health and education. Outside of nursing Olivia loves getting outdoors and making the most of the mountains and lakes around the basin and travelling further a field within New Zealand and overseas.

Val grew up in Auckland and trained at Auckland Medical School then came to Queenstown as a locum 40 years ago and never left. She thoroughly enjoys general practice however her particular specialty areas are: women’s health (including gynaecology and menopause); sports medicine; dermatology-skin lesion diagnoses and removals and any minor surgery.

She has 2 adult children who grew up in Queenstown and now live elsewhere. She is a keen skier and loves the region. Val has recently done 2 terms on the QLDC as elected representative, “my community service” and has learnt a lot about local government.

Anna, originally from Brisbane, has lived in Queenstown for over 10 years, now with her young family. She has a background in general medical and emergency nursing, Anna has an interest in women and children’s health as well as wound care. In her spare time, Anna enjoys the outdoors, going for walks, bike rides, standup paddle boarding and winter sports.

Andie is our Nurse Lead. She hailed originally from Belfast, Ireland before immigrating to NZ in 2008. Initially working as an emergency nurse at Queenstown's Lakes hospital, then joining The Doctors Whakatipu in early 2016. Andie is a very keen sportswomen and has competed in multiple Ironman triathlons, adventure racing and ultra endurance bikepacking, having left us one winter to race the length of the Rockies from Canada to the Mexican border. She now attempts to fit these feats around her young family.  She has a post graduate qualification in travel medicine and a strong interest in womens sports health, but ultimately likes to be an all rounder in her Nursing practice. 

Mairi joined the practice early 2022 after working in various senior management business roles during her career. Mairi’s focus is to ensure the smooth operations and strategic direction of the practice.  She is passionate about ensuring The Doctors Whakatipu is a place where staff are proud to work and patients have the best experience and service.

Originally from Scotland, Mairi loves the outdoor lifestyle of NZ and has been in Queenstown for 12 years loving the biking, hiking, skiing and amazing facilities on our doorstep.

Jo is originally from Glasgow, where she went to Medical School before venturing overseas. She spent time in NZ in the early 2000s, which led to her permanent move here in 2006. After living in Invercargill for ten years, like a lot of Southlanders she migrated north to the snowy peaks of Queenstown where she worked at Lakes District Hospital for three years before moving to primary care. Jo has a particular interests in all areas of adult general medicine.

Outside of work Jo enjoys walking on the awesome tracks around Queenstown and Arrowtown, skis (badly) and despite her husband's best efforts strongly dislikes all forms of cycling.

Duncan was a partner in a semi-rural practice in Helensville for 13 years before working as a GP and partner in the NHS in Scotland for nearly 18 years. He has a plausible claim to be a local as his father was from Otago although he grew up in Wellington and Nelson before attending medical school in Auckland. He enjoys minor surgery and supervising medical students, he has further training in dermatology, and has a longstanding interest in diabetes.

Olivia has a wealth of knowledge as is a friendly face around our practice. She is currently studying towards her Nurse Practicioner qualification after having completed her post graduate nurse prescribing diploma. Her favourite aspect of nursing is empowering people to take control of their health with education and working with amazing people. She feels incredibly lucky to work in an area where she is inspired by the patients and the families she works with. Originally from the Waikato, Olivia is enjoying all Queenstown has to offer including mountain biking and camping.

Dr Kim graduated from Birmingham Medical School in 2002 with a Royal Air Force scholarship. She served with the British Military as a Medical Officer and completed her GP training in Scotland. She moved to New Zealand in 2009 and spent 12 years living and practising in the Hutt Valley. She loves cycling and is a former New Zealand representative cyclist and was the World 24 Hour MTB Champion in 2014. She is married with two boys aged 4 and 2.