As Braemar Hospital marks its centenary year, our Clinical Nurse Lead Georgia Lusty reflects on the unexpected path that led her from a police career dream to the operating theatre — and why she wouldn’t change a thing. Georgia Lusty will be the first to tell you she didn’t plan on being a nurse. At…
Sam Palmer and Annalise McCarthy When staff and patients at Braemar Hospital do a double-take in the corridors of Tui Ward, they’re not seeing things – they’re just experiencing the phenomenon that is twins Sam Palmer and Annalise McCarthy. Born just 40 minutes apart in Hamilton (with Annalise claiming the title of eldest), these sisters…
Ask anyone who’s been a patient at Braemar Hospital, or who’s worked there, or visited, and you’ll hear a familiar theme, “there’s something special about this place.” It’s special to be celebrating 100 years of caring for the people of the Waikato community with compassion, heart, and a kind of quiet determination that doesn’t always…
Meet Dr Laura Miller — gynaecologist, mother, and one of Braemar Hospital’s first credentialled surgeons on the da Vinci robot. As International Women’s Day is celebrated this month, she is a passionate champion of a technology she believes is transforming patient care — and she has the sore cheeks to prove it. “After the first…
Braemar Hospital is set to become the only facility in the Midland region offering Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG), a groundbreaking weight loss procedure that bridges the gap between lifestyle changes and traditional bariatric surgery. The innovative procedure, which requires no incisions and allows patients to go home the same day, will launch from April 2026…
While the Waikato finally starts to bask in the summer sun, Braemar Hospital has embraced solar power to power its way into the next 100 years. Thanks to the shared investment between Braemar Hospital and the Braemar Charitable Trust, nearly 280 solar panels have now been installed on the rooftop of the Ohaupo Rd-based hospital in Hamilton. The panels will create 9%…
Waikato patients now have access to advanced robotic surgery at Braemar Hospital—the only facility in the greater Waikato region offering the da Vinci surgical system. In November alone, 13 patients underwent robotic procedures at the Hamilton-based hospital, marking a significant milestone since the first case in October 2025. Five specialists across gynaecology, urology and general…
Braemar Charitable Trust and Braemar Hospital CEO Fiona Michel were independently recognised at the Waikato Chamber of Commerce Business Awards in Hamilton in November. Braemar Hospital CEO scoops top prize Fiona Michel, Braemar Hospital’s CEO, received the prestigious CEO of the Year award in recognition of her exemplary leadership, dedication, and passion for enabling…
When Samantha Akhtar walked into Braemar Hospital for her surgery last week, she became part of medical history. The kindergarten head teacher didn’t just receive life-changing treatment that morning – she became the first person in the Waikato to undergo robotic surgery using the da Vinci robot. “That sounds cool,” was Samantha’s immediate response when…
Pictured: The team supporting endoscopic vein harvesting at Braemar. From left cardiothoracic surgeons David McCormack, Nishith Patel, and Registered Nurse First Surgical Assistant Kelsey Abercrombie and Braemar Associate Theatre Manager Daphne Van Dam. New Zealand’s First Private Hospital to Offer Endoscopic Vein Harvesting Braemar Hospital has made history as New Zealand’s first private hospital to…