24 July 2024
Anthony Jordan
[FYI request #27210 email] Kia ora Anthony
Your Official Information Act request, reference: GOV-032985
Thank you for your request of 11 June 2024, asking for the following information under the Official
Information Act 1982 (the Act):
Concerning the NZ Herald article dated 2 February 2024, please supply the following: 1/ Please disclose the origin of the research regarding the statement "ACC collated the latest
research around concussion, including international consensus statements, and applied this in the
New Zealand context, with concussion being managed in primary care." 2/ Concerning the individuals: Dr Stephen Kara (expertise and specialist interest in concussion), Dr
Mark Fulcher (NZ Football medical director), Dr John Mayhew (NZ Rugby League medical director),
Dr Ian Murphy (ACC principal clinical adviser), Sharon Kearney (Netball NZ injury prevention
consultant), Melinda Parnell (Netball NZ medical director), Karen Rasmussen (NZ Rugby medical
manager) and Dr Graeme McCrory (Equestrian Sports NZ medical director and community GP). For each Individual, please provide evidence of Qualification and Experience where Concussion
/mTBI is concerned
Our response
Question One
The statement was published on our newsroom article, here:
www.acc.co.nz/newsroom/stories/a-game-
changer-for-community-sport-acc-launches-national-concussion-guidelines. The collated research used to help develop the National Concussion Guidelines is listed under
Recommended Further Reading on page five of the guidelines, here:
www.acc.co.nz/assets/injury-
prevention/ACC_CIS-Guidelines_Jan2024.pdf.
Question two
Please see the below qualifications and experience of the expert panel referred to in the article:
Dr Stephen Kara (expertise and specialist interest in concussion)
o Sport and Exercise Physician, Axis Sports Medicine, Auckland
o 50% clinical time concussion-based consultations
o clinical lead Axis Concussion Service.
o New Zealand Rugby Team Doctor - NPC, Super Rugby, and Maori All Blacks, 2004-2018.
o Independent Concussion Consultant - World Rugby and NRL.
o Clinical Lecturer, Diploma MSK, Concussion Module at Otago University.
o Publications x8 within the literature relating to concussion and concussion management.
o BPAC independent 'expert' for concussion module - BPAC Concussion Module 2022 + Podcast.
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o Involved in the development of BIST Concussion Screening Tool for primary care.
o ProCare independent Clinical Advisor on Concussion in Primary Care Pilot - an ACC integrated
project.
o Independent Concussion Consultant - ACC.
o HPSNZ Concussion Collective Group Member and development of HPSNZ Elite Concussion
Management Framework.
Dr Mark Fulcher (NZ Football Medical Director)
o Medical specialist, involved with the assessment and treatment of patients with brain injuries for
more than a decade, both in sport and non-sport contexts.
o Worked in a dedicated concussion service.
o Co-author in a range of papers relating to mTBI.
o Presented at a range of national and international conferences on the topic.
o Part of a number of advisory committees relating to the development of treatment pathways and
processes relating to mTBI.
Dr John Mayhew (NZ Rugby League Medical Director)
o Bosc, MBChB, Dip Obst. Dip Sports Med London-honours, FRNCGP, Dip OccMed.
o 35 years with professional rugby league and rugby y teams
o All Blacks - 15 years
o Warriors - 15 years.
o World Rugby Medical board - 10 years.
o Previous medical director at New Zealand Rugby - helped develop RugbySmart programme.
o Board member of the New Zealand Rugby Foundation.
o Medical advisor to numerous other provincial and international sports teams.
Dr Ian Murphy (ACC Principal Clinical Advisor)
o MBChB, FACSEP, FFSEM (UK).
o Team Physician – professional rugby union and rugby league.
o Chief Medical Officer at New Zealand Rugby.
o Member of the World Rugby Concussion Working Group.
Sharon Kearney (Netball NZ injury prevention consultant)
o Diploma and Masters Physiotherapy.
o Post Grad Diploma Sports Medicine.
o High Performance Sports Physiotherapist with the Silver Ferns for over 16 years, including
management of concussion.
o Developed community concussion policy for Netball.
Dr Melinda Parnell (Netball NZ Medical Director)
o MB ChB, PhD, PG Dip (Sports Med), FACSEP.
o Co-development in NetballSmart Community concussion guidelines.
o Development of ANZ Premiership sideline concussion management protocol.
Karen Rasmussen (NZ Rugby Medical Manager)
o Clinical background as a physiotherapist.
o Experience in concussion risk management in both community and professional rugby.
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o Member of the World Rugby Concussion Working Group.
o Involved in elite sport concussion research.
Dr Graeme McCrory (Equestrian Sports NZ Medical Director and community GP)
o GP for 27 years and involved in concussion assessments throughout that time.
o Since 2017 has been one of a few GPs involved in the Community Concussion pathway pilot with
New Zealand Rugby, and since then has done over 200 concussion assessments and initial
management of patients through this pilot and other GP work.
o Co-authored a peer-reviewed published paper on this work and presented at the Royal NZ College
of GP National Conference.
o Match Day Doctor - Hawkes Bay Magpies, the local NPC team - regularly attends matches to do
HIAs (Head Injury Assessments).
o Medical Advisor for Equestrian Sport New Zealand - involved in reviewing and updating their
concussion policy in light of new International guidelines.
If you have any questions about this response, please get in touch
You can email me at
[email address]. Ngā mihi
Christopher Johnston
Manager Official Information Act Services
Government Engagement
GOV-032985 Page 3 of 3
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