Following applications in October/November 2023, the appointment process has concluded, and we are delighted to announce the four members appointed to these invited roles are:
Delegate Reps: Brad Atkinson and Dale Andrew
Project Rep - Non-Training: Anika Radojkovich
Project Rep - House Officer: Maria Nonis
Brad Atkinson:
Hi, I’m Brad, a PGY4 Non-Training Orthopaedic Registrar based in Whangarei Hospital that will be in the role of Delegate Representative for 2024. I chose to join STONZ as a Trainee Intern based on my career plans and the healthcare values that I wanted to uphold. After facing some contract issues early in my career and initially being unsure where to go for support, I found myself stepping into the role of STONZ delegate toward the end of PGY1 in Invercargill.
Being a delegate is a very rewarding role in which colleagues come to you with various issues looking for advice and/or help to resolve specific issues. It’s also very rewarding being the “feet on the ground” that identifies some of the wider issues RMO’s are facing and raising these with the support team in a way that they can be addressed early.
In 2024, I have stepped into the role of Delegate Representative alongside Dale Andrew. Together our role is to support delegates and find ways to develop the delegate role. Our plans for the year include regular delegate check-ins, Zoom catchups, education sessions and surveys. We are especially keen to hear from delegates who are having issues in the role or have ideas on how the role can be improved.
Dale Andrew:
Hi everyone, I’m Dale and one of the Delegate Representatives for STONZ. I am currently an ORL Trainee based in Auckland, working part-time while undertaking my masters. I have been a member of STONZ since we first began as a union and have been increasingly involved since that time.
I am passionate about our union and proud of the progress we have been able to achieve in our relatively short existence. I hope to contribute to this ongoing progress in whatever way I can.
The delegate representative role is essentially a go-between for the delegates spread out over the country so they have a regular point of contact, and person who can further their thoughts to the STONZ executive. We are involved in on-boarding new delegates, regular catchups to ensure we identify issues or concerns as soon as we can, and further disseminating any information as needed. I look forward to meeting you in the near future, don’t hesitate to reach out if needed.
Anika Radojkovich:
I'm a non-SET surgical registrar who has dabbled in plastics, general surgery and orthopaedics. I spent my early years as a doctor in the Auckland region and have recently moved to Hutt Valley.
I joined STONZ because I believe their work is key in protecting and improving conditions for doctors. I am passionate about creating a safe working environment while still enabling us to get the most out of our time and training - which ultimately gives our patients the best result.
As the new non-training registrar representative my role is to advocate for those in the gap between House Officer supervision and the formal college progression. STONZ wants to improve the experience, training and protection of non-training registrars so we will be working on projects to create change in this area and capture information to communicate the experiences and difficulties for this group.
If you have any questions, concerns or experiences you want to share feel free to get in touch!
Maria Nonis:
Kia ora! I’m Maria, House Officer currently working in the Emergency Department at Christchurch Hospital and have recently taken up the position of the House Officer Projects Representative for STONZ.
I grew up in Christchurch and headed south for medical school in Dunedin. I love all things project related, including gardening, baking and embroidery.
I joined STONZ due to their strong work ethic and advocacy to improve conditions for doctors and patients. I am passionate about researching and evaluating current working conditions and how we can use our collective experiences to make positive change and improvements.
Feel free to get in touch or say hello – I am always open to hearing any ideas, questions, or issues.
