Christchurch Hospital CEO's newsletter

Article published in the CDHB CEO newsletter in Nov 09.

Dr Sandy Inglis is swapping the high tech setting of the Emergency Department at Christchurch Hospital for a small remote hospital in rural South Africa.
He has resigned his position as Emergency Medicine Specialist for the role of Chief Medical Officer at Mseleni Hospital in Northern Zululand. There he will do everything from carry out caesarean sections and general surgery to working in an HIV clinic and administering anaesthetics.
South African born Sandy will be “home” by Christmas to celebrate with family before moving on to Mseleni Hospital.
He and his French wife Ilda plan to be away from Christchurch for about two years, spending the first 12 months in South Africa and the second year in France. They hope to return in time for the eldest of their two children to start high school here.
Sandy, who left South Africa 20 years ago, says he has always hoped to have the opportunity to work in a different environment.
“It’s very remote, there is no town, just a hospital in the bush. There isn’t even a CT scanner. The nearest town is half an hour away.”
Despite this he says it will be a good experience to go back to basics.
While living in South Africa the he has plans to visit some of the nearby big game reserves and the spectacular coastline.
The family would be living in staff accommodation on the hospital site. Ilda, a Food Technologist, will homeschool their two children and may get involved in a large Aids orphanage which is nearby.
“It’s going to be different. There are no restaurants or movie theatres,” he says.