THE TEAM
Mr. Greg Frost, RN
Perioperative Care
Greg has worked in the health profession for 34 years. In that time, he has worked as an orderly and a CSSD Technician. In 1995, he graduated from Victoria University with a Bachelor of Health Science – Nursing degree. He undertook a Graduate Nurse Program at the Epworth Hospital in Richmond, where he continued to work until he took up the position of Practice Nurse and PA for orthopaedic spinal surgeon and Gus’s mentor, Mr David de la Harpe. He started to work closely with Gus in 2006 and continues to work as Gus’s Practice Manager/PA in the private system since he joined the practice in 2011.
Mr. Andrew Scanlon, RN, PhD
Perioperative Care
Dr Scanlon has over 20 years experience in working with patients' complex neurological conditions in Australia as well as in the United States.
He is an endorsed Nurse Practitioner within Australia as well as in New York State USA and has completed a Doctor of Nursing Practice at the prestigious Columbia University (New York USA)
He has undertaken a Health Policy internship at the International Council of Nurses in Geneva Switzerland.
Dr Scanlon also currently works at Department of Neurosurgery at Austin Health and at the University of Melbourne as a Senior Lecturer.
Dr Nicholas Scurrah, MBBS, FANZCA
Anaesthetist
Dr Scurrah studied Medicine at Monash University and obtained honours for his primary medical degree in 1993. After an internship and a two-year medical residency, he completed his five-year anaesthesia training based at the Austin Hospital. Granted college fellowship in 2003, Dr Scurrah further consolidated his training with subspecialty interests in anaesthesia for major hepatobiliary surgery, liver transplantation, and neurosurgery. He spent two years working in Cambridge, UK and completed his sabbatical with clinical attachments in North America at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco in 2010.
Dr Scurrah has worked since 2004 as a consultant anaesthetist at Austin Health, caring for complex patients undergoing surgery, including adult and paediatric liver transplantation. In private practice, Dr Scurrah works at various different private hospitals providing high-quality personalized care for patients undergoing a variety of different procedures.
Ivana Erac, MBBS MBChB, FANZCA, BSc, MSc (Physiology)
Anaesthetist
Dr Ivana Erac completed her medical degree at the University of Otago, New Zealand in 2000. She spent three years of residency in Brisbane and Melbourne, where she developed an interest in critical care medicine. Her anaesthetic training took place at the Austin Hospital; the Northern Hospital; and the Mercy Hospital for Women; with a fellowship at the Royal Melbourne Hospital, where she had the opportunity to develop her skills in the field of neuroanaesthesia.
She has a public appointment as a consultant anaesthetist with Austin Health and works at several private hospitals in Melbourne including Warringal Private Hospital, Epworth, and St Vincent’s Private Hospital. Her main areas of interest include neuroanaesthesia, ENT surgery, head and neck surgery, and advanced airway management.
Dr Darrel McNeil, MBBS (Hons) FANZCA
Anaesthetist
Dr McNeil is a consultant anaesthetist with a special interest in anaesthesia for neurosurgery and spinal surgery. He also provides anaesthesia for a number of surgical subspecialties including thoracic, paediatric, obstetric, ophthalmic and reconstructive surgeries.
Dr McNeil works as a visiting specialist at Monash Health and Eastern Health, where he is actively involved in the education of medical students, residents, registrars, and fellows.
Dr McNeil is a member of the Australian Society of Anaesthetists (ASA) and the Australian & New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA), where he participates in the ANZCA Continuing Medical Education program. He is actively involved in the education and assessment of anaesthetic trainees and is a member of the Panel of Examiners with ANZCA.
Dr Tim Hurren, MBBS
Surgical Assistant
I’ve had the privilege of assisting many of Melbourne’s best neurosurgeons and spinal orthopaedic surgeons for over 30 years, and I’ve also worked in all the other surgical disciplines. In all, I’ve participated in over 30,000 operations. I have a wealth of experience, having seen the evolution of today’s advanced techniques and equipment. It’s incredible how far we have come in three decades.
I love my job, and I relish the challenges it presents. I am passionate about getting it right. I like to think of my work as a collaboration, primarily with the principal surgeon, but also with the other staff, anaesthetists, nurses and technicians.
Outside of work, I like to play golf and travel, and I’m a Bulldogs tragic. I am happily married with three mature children.
Dr Grant Flanagan, MBBS
FRACP D.Phil. (Oxon)
Physician
Nephrologist and General Physician
Dr Grant Flanagan is an Australian-trained consultant physician and nephrologist.
Physicians are highly trained in a range of non-surgical care for adult patients. They care for difficult, serious, or unusual medical problems and continue to see the patient until these problems have resolved or stabilised. Physicians are specialists in the effects of medications, including their side effects and how they interact with other medicines.
While much of this work takes place in hospital settings, Dr Flanagan also sees patients in-room consultations. Dr Flanagan is frequently asked by surgeons to see patients for assessment, prior to surgery. In this capacity, he advises surgeons of patients’ risk statuses and recommends appropriate management to minimise risks of the operation. Dr Flanagan also assists with postoperative care and ongoing medical problems or complications.
Further information about his practice can be found at https://www.grantjflanagan.com.au
Dr Niroj Obeyesekere MBBS, FRACP
Physician
Nephrologist and General Physician
Dr Niroj Obeyesekere is an Australian-trained nephrologist and general physician involved in the in-hospital medical care of A/Prof Gus Gonzalvo's patients following surgery.
Niroj currently works as a nephrologist and general physician at the Northern Hospital, Epworth Richmond, Epworth Freemasons, Warringal Private Hospital, and Northpark Private Hospital.
He has private consulting rooms at both Warringal and Northpark. Further information about his practice can be found at https://www.thekidneyspecialist.com.au