Our Team
Our team of highly skilled instructors share a common interest and passion in education and patient safety.
Simulation-based team training requires special expertise in addition to clinical ability. The HNE Simulation Centre provides extended instructor training and has processes for certifying its instructors. Instructors are Specialists and Fellows and senior nursing staff, largely from Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, who are active clinically in their area of specialty.
We also have a group of dedicated junior medical staff who are in the process of learning how to become simulation instructors.
We welcome visitors who are interested in learning about simulation-based team training in healthcare. Please email us for more information about teaching, research and Fellowship opportunities.
Director
Dr Cate McIntosh, MBBS PhD FANZCA
Director, HNE Simulation Centre
Senior Staff Specialist in Anaesthesia
Conjoint Associate Professor, School of Medical and Public Health, University of Newcastle
Cate has a cross-disciplinary PhD examining the design and application of simulation for organisational learning and research purposes, in particular the design of clinical artefacts such as cognitive aids, processes and environments. Her interests lie in understanding how systems change can support clinicians in the provision of safer clinical care.
Contact: Email C/- Operations Manager
Management
Cassandra Quigley, AdDipMgt
Simulation appointment: Operations Manager
Contact: Email Cassandra Quigley Phone: (02) 4985 5569
Administration / Support
Samantha Buckman
Simulation appointment: Delivery Support Officer
Contact: HNELHD-SC@health.nsw.gov.au Phone: (02) 4921 4268
Technical Support
Max Henriette
Simulation appointment: Simulation Technical Officer
Interests: Technology and electronic design engineering
Contact: Email Max Henriette Phone: (02) 4921 4268
Instructors
Dr Ursula Beckmann, FRCP, FCICM
Simulation appointment: Faculty Lead for Intensive Care
Other appointments: Senior Staff Specialist in Intensive Care John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Lecturer University of Newcastle
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2011, Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Advanced Instructor Course 2014, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training 2011 - 2014
Interests: Incorporation of simulation training into the overall training of Intensive Care staff
Dr Sarah Jane Cheuk
Simulation appointment: Simulation Fellow
Other appointments: Anaesthesia Fellow, John Hunter Hospital
Dr Julian Wicks
Simulation appointment: Simulation Fellow
Other appointments: Anaesthesia Fellow, John Hunter Hospital
Dr Paul Pham
Simulation appointment: Simulation Fellow
Other appointments: Anaesthesia Fellow, John Hunter Hospital
Dr Daniel Chilton
Simulation appointment: Simulation Fellow
Other appointments: Anaesthesia Fellow, John Hunter Hospital
Dr Michael Dobbie, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, ANZCA Special Study Unit Supervisor - Paediatrics
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Paediatric training, Medical education
Elizabeth (Liz) Doyle, CNS
Simulation appointment: Senior Simulation Coordinator
Other appointment: Performance Improvement Coordinator, Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2012, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training, Debriefing
Dr Delyth Edwards, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, ANZCA Special Study Unit Supervisor – Head & Neck, ANZCA Clinical Fundamental Tutor – Airway Management
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2012, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training 2008 – 2014
Interests: Medical education, Patient safety, Difficult airway management training
Sophie Hoffman, RN
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Registered Nurse, Emergency Department John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Jess Chandler, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: CNS, Anaesthesia Department John Hunter Hospital
Dr Amy Stokoe, FACEM
Simulation appointment: Faculty Lead for Emergency Medicine
Other appointments: Staff Specialist in Emergency Medicine John Hunter Hospital,
Dr Lee-ann Kitto, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, ANZCA Special Study Unit Supervisor - Orthopaedics
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Use of simulation for assessment, Team training, Medical education
Jess Martin, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointment: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training
Dr Sacha Muller-Botti, FANZCA
Simulation appointments: Faculty, Spanish speaking faculty of the Institute for Medical Simulation, Boston, USA
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2013, Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Advanced Instructor Course 2014
Interests: Crisis resource management and training in anaesthesia, Simulation instructor training
Dr Adelaide Charlton
Simulation appointment: Faculty lead for Retrieval Service
Other appointment: Staff Specialist in Intensive Care John Hunter Hospital
Narrell O'Dea, CNS, MPS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: Institute for Medical Simulation (Harvard) Simulation as a Teaching Tool Instructor Course 2012, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Simulation instructor training, Team training
Dr Aditee Parab, MBBS, M.Med (Infection and Immunity)
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointment: Staff Specialist in Intensive Care John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training - Basic and Advanced Debriefing
Interests: Medical education, Critical care infectious diseases
Dr Candice Peters, B Sp Path, MBBS, Grad Cert Clin Ed, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Lecturer University of Newcastle/University of New England, Morbidity & Mortality Chair Department of Anaesthesia, John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training 2014-present, ANZCA Emergency Response Series Can't Intubate Can't Oxygenate Instructor training 2016, Essentials of Debriefing 2017
Interests: Crisis Resource Management, Human Factors & how they relate to patient pafety, Medical education, Welfare of medical officers & doctors-in-training
Donita Pilton, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Clinical Nurse Specialist, Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Team training
Dr Ben Porter, MBChB FRCA FFICM PGCert
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist & Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: PGCert Multidisciplinary Healthcare Simulation, EMAC Instructor
Interests: Human Factors and System Ergonomics
Dr Karolin Heck
Simulation appointment: Post Graduate Education Fellow
Other appointments: Anaesthesia Fellow, John Hunter Hospital
Fiona Smith, RN
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Simulation specific training: Clinical Supervisors and Educators Feedback Workshop, HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Communication in crisis management, Teamwork skills
Dr Gavin Sullivan, FRCA, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital, Conjoint Clinical Lecturer University of Newcastle
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Undergraduate and junior postgraduate simulation
Dr Amanda Taylor, BMed, GradDipPainMgt
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training, NHET-Sim Training
Interests: Using simulation as a tool for medical education, Crisis Resource Management (CRM) and simulation in anaesthesia
Dr Lee-Tam Teo, MRCPC (UK), CICM (PAEDIATRIC)
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist in Intensive Care John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training, IPSS (International Paediatric Simulation Society) Paediatric Simulation Instructor Workshop 2014
Interests: Paediatric critical care related simulation, and incorporating various aspects of simulation into the current paediatric intensive care teaching, including the Paediatric BASIC course and interprofessional teaching in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
Dr Tom Walker, FANZCA
Simulation appointment: Faculty
Other appointments: Staff Specialist Anaesthetist John Hunter Hospital
Simulation specific training: HNE Simulation Centre Instructor Training
Interests: Obstetrics
Katie Francis, CNS 2
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Equipment Officer, Anaesthetics and Recovery John Hunter Hospital
Liz Espert, RN RM
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Registered Nurse Intensive Care Unit John Hunter Hospital, Registered Midwife Maternity John Hunter Hospital
Ben Macnamara, RN
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Perioperative Registered Nurse Operating Theatre John Hunter Hospital
Hannah Boss, CNS
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Anaesthetic Clinical Nurse Specialist John Hunter Hospital
Annette Dlugogorski, RN
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Registered Nurse ICU Maitland Hospital
Jordyn Jennings, RN
Simulation appointment: Simulation Coordinator
Other appointments: Registered Nurse Emergency Department John Hunter Hospital
Join our team
Volunteer Instructor Program
Our team of highly skilled instructors share a common interest and passion in education and patient safety.
Simulation-based team training requires special expertise in addition to clinical ability. The HNE Simulation Centre provides extended instructor training and has processes for certifying its instructors. Instructors are Specialists and Fellows and senior nursing staff, largely from Anaesthesia, Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, who are active clinically in their area of specialty.
We also have a group of dedicated junior medical staff who are in the process of learning how to become simulation instructors.
About the Volunteer Instructor Program
At the HNE Simulation Centre we welcome your involvement as a trainee instructor. Collectively and individually, our volunteer instructors contribute significantly to the centre.
We offer a limited number of places each year in a structured and supported Volunteer Instructor Program that aims to:
- Strengthen participants' association with HNE Simulation Centre
- Create a program to develop and foster skills in teaching and simulation
- Reward volunteers for their contribution in a meaningful way
- Foster the development of educators who will contribute to the HNE Simulation Centre and HNELHD more broadly
How to apply
College trainees and Critical Care SRMOs with an interest in patient safety, human factors, education and/or educational research are encouraged to spend some time with us behind the scenes.
For further information or to express your interest in joining the team, please email your CV (including contact details of two referees) together with a cover letter explaining what you would like to get out of the experience, to the Operations Manager
Fellowship
The HNE Simulation Centre and John Hunter Hospital Department of Anaesthesia offer a range of opportunities for enthusiastic and committed provisional fellows who want to join a team of people who are passionate about patient safety and education.
At any one time we have four fellows (2 simulation fellows, 1 post graduate education fellow and 1 human factors fellow) working with us for 12 months at a time. Recruitment is via NSW Health annual medical recruitment with advertising in late June. Interviews are held in August each year.
Simulation / Anaesthesia Fellow
There are two positions available. The purpose of these positions is two-fold:
- To provide an opportunity for ANZCA or equivalent provisional fellows to develop sub-speciality expertise in education, training and research using simulation-based methodologies (0.53 FTE). This position suits trainees with an interest in human factors and patient safety as well as those with an interest in education.
- To provide an outstanding opportunity (0.47 FTE) to develop and consolidate clinical skills by contributing to the delivery of high quality anaesthesia services for the patients of the Hunter New England Local Health District.
Why trainees should consider this role
This a great opportunity to develop your skills as an educator and/or researcher.
Dr Rebecca Scott was the Simulation/Anaesthesia Fellow prior to taking up a Staff Specialist Anaesthetist position. Here's what Rebecca had to say about the role:
"The simulation fellow job provided excellent exposure to the non-clinical aspects of anaesthesia, coupled with the experience provided by a busy tertiary referral centre
The training in education and non-technical skills was a great boost to my clinical leadership abilities
I particularly appreciated the opportunity to integrate simulation and research, and the support and resources provided to undertake my own simulation-based research study."
Mentor Program
Are you looking to use simulation in your role as an educator? If so, the HNE Simulation Centre can help you get the most from the resources you have by providing a tailored Mentoring Program for HNE staff.
It is our objective that by working together we can collectively create high quality simulation-based training programs across HNELHD.
The aims of the Mentorship Program are:
- To provide a structured and supportive program for educators who wish to deliver simulation based training across HNELHD
- To develop and strengthen networks of educators using simulation across the HNELHD
- To develop skills in debriefing, and the design and delivery of simulation-based training
Medical Students
Type of placement: Simulation - Human Factors as applied to simulation for education, training, assessment and research purposes
Venue: Hunter New England Simulation Centre, Level 1, Royal Newcastle Centre, John Hunter Hospital campus, Newcastle NSW
Supervisors: Dr Cate McIntosh, Director & Senior Faculty
Please note: Students must be enrolled in an Australian Education Provider (University, TAFE, College) in order to commence a clinical placement within NSW Health. Clinical Placements are organised by the Education Provider and managed in ClinConnect.
Interests
- Medical Education, particularly in the use of simulation for education, training, research and assessment
- Human Factors and Patient Safety, particularly the use of simulation as a quality improvement and/or research tool
- Critical Care and Anaesthesia (optional)
Description
This term will provide you with an introduction to the role of simulation in healthcare by exploring the opportunities for use in education and training, as well as QI & research purposes. During the term you will work closely with a diverse range of senior clinicians and observe up close how teams interact under pressure. This will give you insight into your role in the hospital team during internship and beyond.
This term will interest you if you've considered the following questions:
- What will my role in the hospital team be?
- How do I transition between learning, continuing to learn and learning to teach?
- How do I give meaningful feedback?
- What is the role of simulation in the training of doctors and healthcare teams?
- What are the barriers to effective teamwork?
- What are 'Human Factors'?
- How can we use simulation to improve patient safety?
Activities
At the start of the rotation we will meet with you to discuss your expectations and tailor the term in order to meet your objectives. You will be given an orientation to the centre and its operations. During the term you will have the opportunity to participate in a number of the activities.
Achievements
Students will have an opportunity to develop their understanding of the role of the junior doctor as part of the healthcare team by observing and participating in simulation for health care teams and students will develop their understanding of resuscitation and critical care through participation in teaching activities related to these domains.