Wendy Smith
Physiotherapist

About

Wendy comes to us with 20 years of physiotherapy clinical experience spanning both public and private sectors in NZ, Australia and UK.  More recently she has held health leadership positions within primary care and Health NZ focusing on service improvement and digital transformation within health care. Wendy joins the Airport Oaks clinic keen to return to her clinical physiotherapy focus. 

Wendy's clinical interests include complex pain, vocational rehabilitation and concussion. Wendy loves preventative care and wellness-based models of care to combat the 'ambulance at the bottom of the cliff' approach to health. She is also passionate about digital health and how innovation can be used to empower patients and act as an enabler for clinicians to make their job more efficient.

Outside of work the most important thing is family.  Wendy was brought up in Whangarei and she has an 8-year-old daughter and two awesome step kids.  She loves running, tramping, going to the gym, playing netball and going to the beach. 

What is your favourite part of the job?

Definitely the people! Meeting a wide range of people from all different backgrounds and connecting with them and empowering them to achieve their health goals and get back to living their best lives.

Feel the fear and do it anyway

I love learning, continuous improvement and embracing new challenges, even if it makes me feel uncomfortable!

My Goals

1. Raise my kids to be fully functional, decent human beings!

2. Walk the Routeburn track

3. Complete a marathon in under 5 hours

4. Pilot AI notes in the clinic

5. Return back to my love of Oil painting