Award for palliative medical specialist

A South Canterbury palliative medical specialist has won a Trans-Tasman award. Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand’s Dr Catherine D’Souza, of South Canterbury, has been recognised by the Australasian Royal College of Physicians and is the inaugural recipient of a new award to recognise outstanding contribution to the specialty of palliative medicine. The award was handed out at the college’s conference in Canberra. D’Souza is also chairperson of the Aotearoa committee of the Australian New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine and has been instrumental in the establishment of the Palliative Care Collaborative Aotearoa. This group is a collaboration of five palliative bodies, including Hospice New Zealand, lobbying for greater recognition of palliative care.