Mr Mark Stewart

Qualifications: MBChB (Otago), FRACS (General Surgery) 

Mark is the founder of Nelson Weight Loss Surgery. Mark settled in Nelson in 2019 as upper GI surgeon at Nelson Hospital, bringing his family and a wealth of weight loss surgery experience from a bariatric fellowship in Perth, Australia. Mark is a South Islander and New Zealand-trained general surgeon with a passion to keep modern surgical care accessible in the provinces. He also completed a rural surgical fellowship at the Royal Darwin Hospital. Mark is recognised as a Valued Contributor to the Australasian Bariatric Surgery Registry, is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons, a member of the Australia New Zealand Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Society and an executive member of the New Zealand Association of General Surgeons. In Summer you’ll find him kitesurfing at Tahunanui. 

Dr Jonathan Panckhurst 

Qualifications: MBChB (Otago), BMedSci(Hons), FANZCA 

Jonathan, alongside his wife and young family have called Nelson home since 2018. He has a specialist appointment at Nelson Public Hospital and, since 2019, has developed and implemented the bariatric anaesthesia care pathway at Manuka Street Hospital. Jonathan has a strong focus on whole patient (perioperative) care and, as such, considers pre, intra and post operative implications for all of his patients; ensuring safe, specialist-led care. 

Jonathan is the current Education Officer for the New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists, and incoming President of the Society. He also teaches trauma management to junior doctors throughout Australasia. When not providing anaesthesia care, Jonathan enjoys spending time with his family, exploring all that the Nelson-Tasman region has to offer. 

Ali North 

Ali is married with two adult children. She is a Registered Nurse with over 35 years' experience in a range of areas including bariatric nursing, addictions, gastroenterology, general surgery and operating theatre nursing. Ali is a knowledgeable resource and an accessible point of contact. She oversees patient follow up, ensuring blood tests are performed on time and that patients are achieving their goals. Meetings with her are an opportunity to reflect on your progress to date and focus forward together on positive lifestyle developments. Physical and emotional challenges are to be expected along this journey, and Ali can assist by providing the right encouragement and support. 

During her free time, Ali is passionate about fitness, running and weightlifting. 

Angela Phillips 

Angela heads the local team at FoodSavvy where she has been based for over 10 years. She is well versed in the weight loss surgery journey and enjoys the close working relationships that develop with clients when providing individualised care. As a mother of three youngsters, she understands how frustrating meal times can be and how busy lives impact on meal choices. She enjoys brainstorming with parents on solutions that best fit within their families’ lifestyle and food preferences and helping to make food enjoyable again. Angela has worked in all clinical departments throughout Wellington Hospital and has a sound medical background to complement her practical meal planning skills.

Qualifications: BSc (Human Nutrition), Post Graduate Diploma in Dietetics, New Zealand Registered Dietitian, Dietitian Prescriber

Shona Collins 

Shona is a New Zealand registered Dietitian with over 15 years’ experience working as a clinical dietitian in South Africa, the UK and New Zealand, evenly spread between hospital clinical work and private practice. Her special interests include the weight loss journey, diabetes, women’s health, irritable bowel syndrome and other digestive issues, as well as working with women to help them make peace with food. Her mission is to cut out the nonsense that surrounds food and diet and to help patients interpret the minefield of modern misinformation to allow them to enjoy the food they love. As a mother of two active teenagers she understands the challenges that meal times bring, and utilises a practical hands-on approach to meal planning taking a family’s unique needs into account.

Qualifications: BSc Diet (Hons), New Zealand Registered Dietitian

Jennie Verstappen 

Jennie is a NZ Registered Dietitian who has been supporting patients in their health journeys since completing her Master of Dietetics (Distinction) from the University of Otago in 2016. She has been providing dietetic support for Mark’s patients undergoing bariatric surgery since 2021. Weight is a complex issue that requires a thoughtful approach. Jennie enjoys supporting patients, who are a good fit for bariatric surgery, to achieve their health and wellbeing goals. Bariatric surgery can make such a significant difference in people’s lives and it is a privilege to work alongside patients in this two-year follow up programme that Mark has designed for best patient outcomes. Dietitians are the people patients often see the most with this process, so I take pleasure in building a safe and supportive relationship to help patients through this life-changing process into a happier and healthier future. 

Dr. Courtney Clyne 

My name is Dr Courtney Clyne, and I am proud to be part of the Nelson Weight Loss bariatric team. I believe our team is a dedicated, strong and patient-centred team with multidisciplinary expertise that results in the best outcomes for our patients.

I recognise the privilege that has been afforded to me as the role of clinical psychologist in the bariatric team, and I feel honoured that I am part of the journey that supports patients towards their weight loss goals. While I take my role seriously, I also enjoy making the assessment and support process as painless as possible, and I like to inject humour where appropriate. 

Qualifications: PhD (binge eating disorder), Master of Arts (binge eating disorder), PGDipClinPsych, B.A.Hons, B.A., MNZCCP 

 

Jana Formankova 

“Yoga, Bodylight instructor, and a massage therapist originally from the Czech Republic, Jana has been living in New Zealand since 2015. The nature, friendly atmosphere, and warm people inspired me to change my busy, European lifestyle to a more relaxed and enjoyable day-to-day life. My previous experience as a PA and office administrator for a urology surgeon in Auckland taught me what it takes to fully support patients through whatever journey they are on. Moving to Nelson and joining the team as a PA for Dr Mark Stewart has been incredibly rewarding and I am very grateful to be part of an excellent group of professional specialists. From general queries, providing information, booking consultations to finalising all necessary documents for your procedures - get in touch with me, I am dedicated to assisting you!"