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Anaesthetist (19 October 1923 - 10 April 2007)
Dr Alan Bradford, universally known as Brad, was Nelson's first and long-serving specialist anaesthetist.
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He came to New Zealand in 1952, working his passage as ship's doctor. He had spells in general practice in Collingwood, Ranfurly, and Plimmerton, then took a registrar post in obstetrics at National Women's Hospital Auckland in 1954. However, he resolved to return to England at the completion of the year, as he "saw the sunrise too often for my liking".
Four weeks prior to Brad's scheduled departure, final-year Otago medical student Kay Johnstone began her obstetrics attachment. In what must have been a whirlwind 6 weeks they became engaged, Kay sat her finals, then they married. They remained in Auckland, Brad switching to anaesthesia, Kay training in child psychiatry.
Brad completed his anaesthesia training in Auckland, one of the early trainees of the recently structured Faculty of Anaesthetists, Royal Australian College of Surgeons. He qualified FFARACS in 1960,...