Computerised dermoscopy Mole Screening

Taranaki's only dedicated skin cancer service

Regular Prescription Request

Our Medical Staff include

Principals

Dr Alison Gadsby | Dr Lucy Gibberd | Dr Geoff Putt | Dr Geoff Tvrdeich

Dr Amanda Brown | Dr Lester Kelly

Associates

Dr Carey Nazzer | Dr Vivienne Law | Dr Sue Oldfield | Dr Dawn White

Dr Abigail Poole | Dr Tom Nicholson

Dr Alison Gadsby MBChB Dip Obst. FRNZCGP                            

Alison was born and raised in Stirling, Scotland and gained her medical degree at Aberdeen University, graduating in 1989. She arrived in New Zealand in 1990 on a two year work permit having been offered a position at Taranaki Base Hospital, but settled in quickly to the New Zealand lifestyle and is now a NZ Citizen. Taking her NZ fiancé home with her she returned to Scotland in 1994, as well as getting married she completed her general practice training and passed the membership examination for the RCGP that year. She subsequently completed her accreditation to become a fellow of the RNZCGP.  Alison has recently completed a travel medicine paper and has set up a Travel Clinic here. This clinic is part of the Worldwise Travel Group, based in Auckland.  In 2004 she became a trainer with the Royal College assisting in the teaching of GP registrars.  She is kept busy with her two sons and enjoys spending time with her family and keeping fit.

Dr Lucy Gibberd MBChB DipDerm Dip O&G Dip CH FRNZCGP

Originally from London, Lucy studied medicine at Cambridge and Bristol Universities.  After working in Bristol, she worked at Taranaki Base Hospital, where she met her husband Dr Geoff Tvrdeich. Lucy has post-graduate Diplomas in Child Health, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and did her GP training in the UK.  She sat the final exam for her Diploma in Practical Dermatology in the UK and passed with distinction. She and Geoff have 3 young children.

Dr Geoff Putt  BHB MBChB DipHInf

Dr Geoff Putt has lived in New Plymouth for over 40 years, and has been busy in general practice for over 15 years. He graduated from Auckland School of Medicine in 1983, and worked for several years at Taranaki Base Hospital and in primary health care in the province. He is happily married to a registered nurse, and has five children and also 3 foster children. He is an elder of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand.  Dr Putt has a particular interest in computing and information technology, and evidence–based medicine, having recently completed a 2-year Diploma of Health Informatics.

Dr Geoff Tvrdeich  BSc MBChB Dip Pall Med FRNZCGP

Geoff graduated from Otago Medical School in 1990.  He has worked as a House Surgeon and then Medical Registrar at Taranaki Base Hospital before going overseas.  Upon his return he trained in General Practice and Palliative (Hospice) Care and worked for several years as a GP and hospice doctor.  He bought is own practice in 1997 from Dr Don Barclay. Geoff is married to Dr Lucy Gibberd and they have three children.  In 2004 he was made a Fellow of the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners. He has developed and runs the Skin Cancer Centre @ CAREfirst in addition to his General Practice work.

Amanda graduated from Otago Medical School in 1990. She worked at Taranaki Base Hospital as a House Surgeon and Senior House Officer before going overseas. On returning to NZ she trained in General Practice and established a practice in New Plymouth. Amanda is married to Dr Lester Kelly and they have 3 children. She has a postgraduate Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and was made Fellow of the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners in 2008. Amanda relocated her practice to Carefirst late in 2008 on completion of the second stage of the building.

Lester graduated from Auckland Medical School in 1989. He spent 2 1/2 yrs working at Taranaki Base Hospital as a House Surgeon and Senior House Officer before traveling to England. On his return he took over an established General Practice in Strandon where he worked for 15 years before relocating his practice to Carefirst. He has a postgraduate Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and was made a Fellow of the Royal NZ College of General Practitioners in 2007.  Along with his General Practice he has a special interest in Skin Cancer diagnosis and Surgery as well as early Melanoma detection using Dermoscopy. Along with his General Practice  some of his time at Carefirst will be spent working with Dr Tvrdeich in the Skin Cancer Centre.  Lester is married to Dr Amanda Brown and they have three children.

Dr Nazzer trained to be a doctor in Auckland, followed by hospital training at Taranaki base hospital. She holds a diploma in paediatrics and a diploma of obstetrics and gynaecology and is also the mother of a young child.  After working as a local GP in Wellington, she returned to Taranaki and worked in general practice in New Plymouth prior to joining the five other GPs at CAREfirst.Before commencing her medical training, Dr Nazzer gained her masters degree in physical education and a BSC (psychology) and worked for five years in the research field. She is currently working towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Health Science (herbal medicine) and is interested in Women’s Health.

Dr Sue Oldfield  MBBS (London) MRCGP (UK) Dip O&G  DFFP

Dr Oldfield was born in Winchester England. Her medical training was at University College London where she obtained an MBBS in 1995. The rest of her hospital training was in England, Scotland and New Plymouth. While working at Taranaki Base Hospital, Sue gained a Diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.  Dr Oldfield then returned to England for 3 years where she completed her General Practice training and MRCGP also passing the Diploma in Family Practice.  “I am married with two children and due to our love of the Taranaki region we have returned to the area.”

Dr Dawn White  MBBS (Barts) MRCGP (UK) Dip O&G DFFP

Dawn was born and bred in Norfolk, England and came to New Zealand for ‘an adventure’. That adventure continues and has so far included marrying a lovely kiwi ‘bloke’ called Michael, and having a baby daughter! They live near Inglewood on a small farm. Dawn enjoys nature, swimming, running and playing music.Dawn trained at St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London and qualified as a doctor in 1992. She also gained a psychology degree. She went on to complete GP training in Norwich and Yorkshire and gained her MRCGP. On coming to New Zealand, Dawn became interested in Palliative Medicine and worked at Mary Potter Hospice in Wellington and at Te Rangimarie Hospice here in New Plymouth, where she became Medical Director. She holds a Diploma in Palliative Medicine from Cardiff University and also gained FRNZCGP.Dawn’s special medical interests included caring for people with incurable diseases, rheumatology, communication skills and holistic medicine.

Vivienne is a local, born in Stratford and raised in Kaponga with many of her family still living in South Taranaki. She trained at Otago Medical School with time spent in Dunedin and Christchurch Hospitals. Before this she worked as a registered nurse in Accident and Emergency and General Medical / Cardiology in several hospitals in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. 

Dr Tom Nicholson