Donation
Sponsoring The Chirnside Morton Prize
“I want to be all that I am capable of becoming”

- Catherine Mansfield



The Christchurch School of Medicine was the first medical school in Australasia to have Emergency Medicine as a formal part of the undergraduate curriculum, following the appointment of Australasia's first Emergency Medicine academic in 1990.

This appointment came about because of the foresight and initiative of Mr Alan Chirnside, then Director of Christchurch Hospital Emergency Department, and Professor John Morton, then Head of the Department of Surgery at the Christchurch School of Medicine. They recognised that increasing specialisation of the traditional teaching disciplines was limiting the students experience and that the new speciality of Emergency Medicine combined excellent experience with enthusiastic teaching.

The Chirnside-Morton prize, named for the contribution of these two pioneers, is awarded to the 4th year medical student at the Christchurch School of Medicine with the best overall performance in Emergency Medicine.

We believe this award encourages our young doctors to strive for excellence in emergency care, and we have made it our mission to ensure that this prize continues to be awarded over the next ten years.

Sharing our interest in continuing this tradition, Lane Neave Lawyers have kindly provided the funding needed to continue this prize until the year 2017. Emergency Medicine saves lives, and through endeavors such as the Chirnside Morton Prize, we and Lane Neave are ensuring that our future doctors are trained to provide the best level of emergency care possible.

This years winner was Lara Cuneen, a 4th year nurse at Christchurch ED before starting her medical degree.Well done.

Donations for Vital Pieces of Equipment
The Emergency Care Foundation are currently in the process of fund raising for two vital pieces of equipment which we feel will help Emergency Physcians provide a more effective treatment and diagnosis:

SonoSite Handheld Probe - Southern Trust and Eureka have already provided us funds towards the purchase of this whole-body ultra sound which will assist doctors to make rapid diagnosis, with minimal cost and without the need for exposure to radiation,intrusive tests or moving a patient. The Emergency Care Foundation feel by having the latest in technology in high quality ultra sound, doctors will be able to improve efficiency and lowers the threshold for life-threatening conditions. The total cost is $71,025.60. The Foundation already has $49,000 and is currently fund raising for the further $22,025.60.

GlideScope - Over 70,000 attend the Emergency Department each year and CDHB are unable to provide all the equipment required in life saving situations. The professionals in this area feel that the glidescope package which includes a video glidescope, training and relevant extra attachments would be of huge benefit to the Christchurch community. It would enable a safe way of securing and maintaining a critically ill patient. The total cost is $30,245.38(excluding GST) of which you have Air Rescue have already kindly donated.

If you feel that you would like to help see this equipment avilable in the Emergency Department at Christchurch Public please support the Foundation by making a donation now.