Matthew Drake MBBS, FRCA, CCT

Matthew originally planned to train as an obstetrician, however, some enthusiastic obstetric anaesthetists persuaded him that he could combine his interest in obstetrics with a career in anaesthesia.

Originally from the UK, Matthew is currently deputy service clinical director of the National Women’s Health department of anaesthesia at Auckland DHB. He is also chair of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists’ National Obstetric Anaesthesia Network.

Matthew has been involved with the Health Quality & Safety Commission’s Maternal Morbidity Working Group since its inception and has been the anaesthesia clinical lead throughout the implementation of the New Zealand maternity early warning system (MEWS). National Women’s Health was one of the three early pilot sites for MEWS, so he has extensive first-hand knowledge of the challenges and successes of implementing MEWS locally and nationally.