Keynote Speaker:
Professor Mike Fray, PhD, BSc (Hons), BHSc, FHEA.
Professor of Ergonomics and Assisted Performance
Mike Fray has a long-established record in the field of ergonomics and human factors (EHF) in healthcare. He was employed as an ergonomics and patient handling advisor in acute hospitals, community health and a mental health trust in the UK. He has been a co-editor to the Guide to the Handling of People Series in the UK for over 15 years and is currently on the Editorial Group for the Applied Ergonomics journal. He initiated and delivered the world leading Master’s programme for patient handling advisors from 1996-2010 and is now integral in delivering postgraduate education in EHF at Loughborough University supporting the Masters Programme in EHF focussing on supporting EHF in healthcare.
His extensive research portfolio covers patient handing devices, methods and interventions (TROPHI) as well as the widening list of assistive technology that improves human performance, occupational exoskeletons, adapted sport etc. He has held positions with international ergonomics and patient handling organisations (UK, US, NZ). He has collaborated with commercial organisations and academic institutions across the globe. He has completed research studies with Hill-Rom (Liko), Arjo, Guldmann, GB-UK, many healthcare organisations in the UK and in NZ.
Currently he is the Project Lead for the national programme to educate all Patient Safety Specialists (PSS) across the NHS England region. This comprehensive project developed a comprehensive blended learning package in response to the Patient Safety Syllabus (2022) which is a key milestone to achieve the Patient Safety Strategy (2021). It comprises 5 Courses, including 12 individual modules. The programme includes 125 hours of accredited CPD hours, it is accredited by the UK CIEHF group and Loughborough University. Each course requires the online learning to be completed, attendance at a one day in-person eventand the submission of a case study to be formally assessed with in the university faculty.
The programme has been incredibly well received after inviting 1000 people, we engaged with over 700 and currently nearly 500 have completed all the learning and case study work. The delivery of this programme will be ongoing for several years in and around the UK.
Associate Professor
Caz Hales
PhD, BNurs (Hons), RN.Victoria University of Wellington
Caz Hales is a registered nurse who leads research in obesity care within health systems. With over two decades of clinical and academic experience, including significant work in intensive care, she specialises in developing accessible, size-inclusive healthcare environments. Her research has transformed how healthcare services approach bariatric patient care, with particular focus on safe patient handling, mobility, and environmental design.
Through international collaborations with industry and healthcare organisations, Caz combines rigorous research with practical applications to address the complex relationships between patient needs, staff safety, and healthcare environments. She is project lead on two funded projects: developing a Virtual Reality (VR) educational platform for health professionals caring for hospitalised people living with extreme obesity, and developing a bariatric service patient data registry with Health NZ Capital Coast Hutt Valley that will enable analysis of service provision and patient outcomes for continuous care improvement.Her contributions to healthcare have been recognised through multiple awards,including the University Research Impact Award, Capital Coast Staff Excellence Award, and the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 Recognition Award. As an active member of Health New Zealand’s National Larger Person’s Group, the Moving and Handling Association of New Zealand (MHANZ), and the Australian and New Zealand Obesity Society (ANZOS) Council, Caz continues to advocate for evidence-based improvements in bariatric care, emphasising safe handling practices, dignity in care, consumer voice, and the development of size-inclusive healthcare environments that benefit both patients and healthcare professionals.
Billie Lai
Post Graduate Certificate in Moving and Handling.
Billie is a Moving & Handling Educator at Waitemata Health since 2008. She has a nursing background mainly in Cardiology. She has gained a Post Graduate Certificate in Moving and Handling. She has contributed to the Techniques section of Moving and Handling People: The New Zealand Guidelines (ACC 2012). Billie has participated and contributed to all of the MHANZ education/development events.
Contact details: billie.lai@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Julie Slatter
Julie is a Moving and Handling Educator at Waitemata Health since 2015. She has a nursing background in Older Adult Stroke and Rehabilitation.
Julie is a Moving and Handling Educator at Waitemata Health since 2015. She has a nursing background in Older Adult Stroke and Rehabilitation. Julie presented a workshop “The Heavy Limb Problem” implementing limb slings to improve staff and patient experience and safety at the MHANZ Roadshow in 2018 She piloted the use of limb slings in the Waitemata older adult clinical setting for wound care in 2019. She went on to present the findings of this to the Combined WDHB and Counties Manukau Study Day (2020).Julie now works exclusively work with the Waitemata M&H team.
Contact details: julie.slatter@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Jeanette Henderson
Jeanette has over 35 years of Physiotherapy experience working across private hospitals, community settings and ward-based therapy specialising in Neurology and Rehabilitation for the Older Adult
Jeanette is a Moving and Handling Educator at Waitemata since 2008. Her role has included involvement with MHANZ. Successful completion of the post graduate certificate in Moving & Handling. Presentations at stroke and moving and handling conferences. She has over 35 years of Physiotherapy experience working across private hospitals, community settings and ward-based therapy specialising in Neurology and Rehabilitation for the Older Adult. Jeanette is passionate about safety in Moving and Handling people to ensure a safe therapeutic environment for patients and staff while maintaining dignity and respect, minimising risk,ensuring patient comfort and equity of care for all patients.
Contact details: Jeanette.henderson@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Nick Harmon joined the M&H educator team 2 years ago and has found a passion for moving people safely. He has experience working in ED and currently is part of a small ICU team at Hutt Valley Hospital.
Contact details Nick.Harmon@Huttvalleydhb.org.nz
Shajeeda Tinielu joined the Capital, Coast and Hutt Valley M&H team at its beginning in 2019 and was instrumental in developing the teaching resources for the initial iteration of the course. She has experience working in a busy Accident and Medical (A&M) centre in Porirua.
Contact details Shajeeda.Tinielu@ccdhb.org.nz
Eleanor Barrett is an Occupational Therapist with a passion for Moving and Handling patients safely. She has a Post Graduate Certificate in Moving and Handling. Eleanor has presented workshops at the previous MHANZ Road shows and Professional Update days.
She has led the development of the Wellington based M&H educator team over the last 6 years to implement a training programme based on the Waitemata model. Eleanor has been the Treasurer for MHANZ since 2013.
Contact details; treasurer@mhanz.org.nzor Eleanor.barrett@ccdhb.org.nz
Anne is the Moving and Handling (M&H) Programme Manager for Waitematā District for 20 years.
She designed, delivered and continues to manage the M&H programme in WDHB. The programme underwent a successful pilot in 2007 and was reported by the University of Auckland for ACC (Accident Compensation Corporation). She is co-editor of the ‘Moving and Handling People: The New Zealand Guidelines’ (ACC 2012).
Anne has a nursing background specialising in Orthopaedics, Spinal Injuries and Emergency Medicine. During her Moving & Handling role she has gained qualifications in Occupational Health & Safety, Project Management, Adult Education and a Post Graduate Certificate in Moving and Handling.
Anne is the current Chair and a founding member of MHANZ
Contact details: Anne.McMahon@waitematadhb.govt.nz
and Chair@mhanz.org.nz
Mary is a Senior Moving and Handling Educator, has been part of the Waitematā Moving & Handling Team for 17 years. She contributed to the Techniques section of ‘Moving and Handling People: The New Zealand Guidelines’ (ACC 2012).
She has a Post Graduate Certificate in Moving and Handling.
Mary has presented workshops at the previous MHANZ Road shows and Professional Update days.
She is currently Secretary of the MHANZ committee.
Contact details Mary.Gill@waitematadhb.govt.nz
and Secretary@mhanz.org.nz
Sarah is a Moving and Handling Educator at Waitematā District and has been since 2019.
She is an experienced physiotherapist working at the National Child Rehabilitation Service. She has used her paediatric experience to apply a specific Paediatric lens to the existing Moving and Handling Update module at Waitematā District.
Contact details: Sarah.utting@waitematadhb.govt.nz
Craig Nelson NZRN has been the Patient Handling Nurse Educator at Te Toka Tumai Auckland for the last eighteen years and has over twenty-three years of moving and handling training experience. He has overseen the successful rollout of falls retrieval bundles to every clinical floor of Auckland Hospital.
Contact details; CNelson@adhb.govt.nz
Glenda Rickerby is a hospital trained registered nurse with over 5 decades practical nursing in a variety of settings, including Intensive Care, Coronary Care, Medical and Rural hospital, Primary health & Residential care, and lately rural nursing in nurse led clinics in Southland and on Stewart Island. She is a national committee member for MHANZ.
Her extensive experience working in the community as a PRIME trained nurse enables her to think outside the square & risk assess on the fly, advocating for both staff and patient safety.
She has been involved with development of, coordination and delivery of education specifically related to moving & handling since 2015.
With a very limited resource at this time, Glenda’s advocacy enabled an increase in resource for this role.
Glenda has completed post graduate study & focusing on both patient assessment and moving & handing activities she has been able to incorporate her research & study into her daily nursing practice. Her continued involvement in moving & handling and commitment to patient safety & dignity ensure that she can continue to advocate in this field.
Garry Stanners, Community Care Team Leader, Consultant and Trainer at Cubro
Garry is one of our most experienced Solution Specialists,leading our team in Community Care. Garry’s strength lies in working together with clients, their whānau, and therapists, to find practical solutions to complex situations.
Arne Moxham, General Manager – Hospital Care at Cubro
Arne is passionate about helping reduce falls in hospitals.He leads our Hospital Care team and is an expert in the latest falls prevention beds and the difference they can make for those in care.
Ashley Currie , General Manager – Aged Care at Cubro
Ashley is passionate about helping aged care residents live safer, happier lives. He enjoys showcasing products that he knows make a big difference in the lives of residents and their carers. He’s looking forward to taking you through some fantastic falls prevention products.
Rick Clare, Equipment Specialist at Cubro
Rick is a very knowledgeable member of the Cubro Hospital Care team. He loves to share his expertise with others and is excited about being a presenter at this upcoming Falls Prevention workshop.
Ernest Nel is USL’s National Account Manager – Patient Mobility and Manual Handling. Originally a physiotherapist, Ernest now supports Hospital, Aged Care and Community practitioners. Working across USL Equipment and USL Sport markets, Ernest applies a solution-based approach to patient need and supporting the nursing workforce. He is passionate about sharing his Rehab knowledge to ensure your patients receive the best care possible.
Jacinta Maurin brings to Seating Matters 25+ years experience in complex seating and postural care. Jacinta has a background in Physiotherapy and she has extensive experience in finding solutions to improve comfort, pressure care and participation. Jacinta is a regular presenter across Asia Pacific, including ATSA expo’s and Oceania Seating Symposium, in the areas of 24 hour postural care and complex seating solutions.