Endometriosis New Zealand is so pleased to welcome Dr. Amelia Ryan to our Clinical Advisory Committee. Dr. Amelia Ryan is a highly respected gynecologist based in Auckland, New Zealand. She holds a public appointment at Te Whatu Ora Waitemata and runs a private practice at Advanced Gynaecology Auckland. Dr. Ryan also provides fertility services at Fertility Associates. Amelia attended the University of Otago to complete her medical degree. She moved to Melbourne, Australia to embark on specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Royal Women’s Hospital, completing advanced training in advanced laparoscopy (keyhole surgery) and the management of endometriosis at the Royal Women’s Hospital. She also spent time in the reproductive medicine/fertility unit at the Royal Women’s Hospital. In 2019, Amelia moved home to New Zealand to take up a senior medical position in the Endometriosis/Pelvic Pain unit at Te Whatu Ora Waitemata. Her deep passion is the management of complex pelvic pain and endometriosis. She believes in comprehensive education, multidisciplinary care and timely, appropriate surgery to manage this complex and debilitating condition. Amelia has been involved in research locally and internationally in the field of endometriosis and has recently published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. In her spare time, Amelia runs a small Instagram page @drameliaryan which provides bite-sized information on women’s health topics . She also contributes to local podcasts and journalism content.
We had the opportunity to ask her a few questions about her position with ENZ. Here are her insightful responses:
What inspired you to join the ENZ CAC?
“Endometriosis NZ is the leading advocacy organization for people suffering from endometriosis in New Zealand. As a gynecologist and endometriosis specialist, I strive to provide high-quality clinical care for my patients. However, this only reaches a small number of people each day. By being part of the CAC, I am able to be involved in a wider advocacy conversation with a broader impact for people in New Zealand with endometriosis.”
What changes would you like to see with the newly established Te Whatu Ora, and what steps do you think they need to take to improve care for those living with Endometriosis?
“Where do I start?! Endometriosis services around New Zealand are under-resourced and vary significantly from region to region. A lot of work has been done to increase the early identification of symptoms, but we are now stuck unable to provide care for the increased referral workload, leaving many people lost in the system or simply declined by their local health service. On a basic level, we need more people, with a long-term plan to increase the workforce of appropriately trained endometriosis specialists. I would also love to see a travel program established in New Zealand, much like Australia, that financially and practically supports patients to travel to receive specialist care that they are unable to access locally.”
What do you think the future looks like for endometriosis patients in NZ?
“The future is bright! Twenty years ago, the landscape of endometriosis care internationally looked very different from today. There has been a tremendous amount of work done in research, education, and awareness. Highly skilled clinicians are now leading major pelvic pain services around our country. A major focus needs to be addressing equity issues for Maori and Pasifika women and conducting research that addresses our unique experience in New Zealand. I am in excellent company on the CAC and feel excited to be part of the action with Endometriosis NZ.”