Staff
Dr. Adam Greenbaum
Adam grew up in the UK and attended the Medical School of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital in the City of London. He knew early on in his medical training that he wanted to be a surgeon, and that the field of plastic surgery was his ultimate ambition. In the UK this meant working first in General Surgery to attain the Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (FRCS).
Training
To complement this knowledge, he concurrently embarked upon a period of original research for which he gained a PhD thesis and was honoured with the award of a Hunterian Professorship from the Royal College of Surgeons of England. He then went on to complete his specialist training in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, gaining the Specialist Intercollegiate Fellowship to become Board Certified in the UK (ISB) and Europe (EBOPRAS) in 2003.
Experience
Following completion of his postgraduate training, Adam worked as a Consultant Plastic Surgeon in South East London’s Teaching Hospitals: Guy’s, St. Thomas’ and King’s College.
Adam’s NHS practice involved General Plastic and Trauma Reconstructive Surgery. He held a joint appointment to work with colleagues in the St John’s Institute of Dermatology and participate in Specialist Clinics dealing with treatment and reconstruction after melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers and for children and adults with pigmented and vascular skin blemishes. He also ran the Plastic Surgery laser service at Guy’s and St. Thomas’ Hospitals and had clinical and research interests in breast reduction surgery and surgical rejuvenation after weight loss.
Adams’ Consultant experience since 2004 spans:
* Surgical treatment and reconstruction after melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers.
* Breast surgery – especially breast uplift breast reduction and breast augmentation.
* Hand surgery – especially correction of Dupuytren’s contracture and relief of carpal tunnel syndrome
* Surgical rejuvenation after dramatic weight loss.
* LASER; IPL and surgical treatment of children and adults with pigmented and vascular skin blemishes.
* All aspects of cosmetic surgery and appearance medicine (Botox™ and skin and soft tissue fillers)
The move to New Zealand
Since emigrating Adam’s practice has settled into two main areas:
1. Surgery for skin cancer and hand surgery for carpal tunnel and Dupuytren’s contracture.
2. Aesthetic surgery and nonsurgical rejuvenation (Botox and fillers).
Special interests
Adam’s expertise lies in surgical and non-surgical rejuvenation of the face, breasts, and abdomen – including body-contouring surgery. Through his NHS practice in the UK, he developed a special interest in the cosmetic improvement of patients after dramatic weight loss either through dieting or gastric reduction or redirection surgery. These patients often have multiple problem areas that require specialized cosmetic techniques applied alone and in combination to remove their excess skin and soft tissues to improve both their appearance and their self-esteem. Because of their surgery, they also have problems stemming from nutritional deficits which affect healing.
Research
Adam is driven to stay at the forefront of his specialty and is proud to have continued to be invited to revise the inaugural chapter he first wrote in 2008 on diseases of the skin in “Bailey and Love” – one of the World’s most successful surgical textbooks having sold over a million copies.
Pandemics allowing, he travels frequently to attend international symposia and meetings, and to observe international colleagues: learning what is new, what works and what does not. Likewise, he welcomes colleagues from NZ and abroad to visit and observe his practice.
Adam also retains an interest as an active clinical researcher and his work is published extensively and cited in peer-review scientific and surgical journals. He continues to act as an invited peer-reviewer for the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and is a member of the Academy of Surgical Educators of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
Memberships / Affiliations
Adam is an affiliated provider with Southern Cross and registered with most health insurance providers. Where patients would rather not have DHB treatment for reasons of choice or convenience, he will treat suitable patients in a private setting, for skin cancer or reconstructive and other General Plastic Surgery procedures.
Adam is listed on the Vocational Register of the Medical Council of New Zealand as a Specialist in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery (MCNZ) and is a member of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and an International Member of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) – for which he has served on the international committee since 2005.
Any spare time he has is dedicated to family life and playing with power tools in the garden.
Annie Bruce
Annie is a registered nurse with an extensive career spanning clinical and leadership roles. Following her training at Middlemore Hospital, she specialised by working in the Plastic Surgery and Burns unit, completing a post graduate certificate.
Leadership and mentoring roles followed as she continued her focus on plastic surgery and expanded her horizons gaining experience in Sydney. Not one to sit still for long, she is always keen to learn and so along the way an advanced diploma in Nursing, a postgraduate certificate in Health Science and qualification as a Dermoscopist were added to her list of accomplishments.
After marrying a local lad and moving to a lifestyle block in the area, they raised 3 children and looked after a selection of animals. Roles as Nurse Lead in Tuakau and Cornerstone (audit) champion ensued before she went into clinical management at the 120-bed care facility within the Possum Bourne Retirement Village, eventually taking on the most senior role there as Facility Manager.
With so many options to choose from, we are delighted that Annie chose to return to her first love (husbands excluded) of plastic surgery, bringing her calm approach and expertise to play a pivotal role in the team at Cutting Edge Plastic Surgery.
Karen Flynn
Karen is our resident force of nature. With 33 years’ experience working in healthcare, she has built an impressive set of skills which we get to benefit from every day.
Starting as a receptionist at Seddon Medical, she progressed to working as a Booking Co-ordinator at Manukau Super Clinic, where she organised clinics, waiting lists, theatre lists and anything else that looked like it needed sorting out. A return to Pukekohe saw her graduate from reception and administration roles to hands on Health Care Assistant, where she supported practice GPs and nurses in delivering patient care.
Having worked with Adam for 6.5 years now, there is nothing Karen doesn’t know about the day to day running of the business, and her multifaceted role sees her pivoting from working in reception to assisting with clinical procedures as the need arises.
Born and bred in Pukekohe, Karen and her husband have been kept on their toes raising 5 children and now get to extend that energy to doting on their 15 grandchildren. Heavily involved in community events, Karen is passionate about helping people and is very proud to be working at Cutting Edge Plastic Surgery. We are even prouder to have her on our team.
Michele Fox
Michele is a Healthcare Assistant with 28 years’ experience in medical administration gained at various medical practices throughout her career. With a special interest in surgery the move to Cutting Edge Plastic Surgery allowed her to combine her love for hands-on clinical work and extensive administrative knowledge.
Working as a SkiNZure Assistant and in reception, managing bookings and queries, she wears many hats and is always ready with a warm smile and helping hand to ensure patients feel welcome. A specially brewed coffee is never too far away.
Born in Auckland, Michele has lived in the Franklin area for most of her life, raising two children who have given her the added joy of 2 gorgeous grandchildren, whom she adores and spends as much time with as possible.
Michele’s zest for life sees her travelling when she can, running in the beautiful countryside and socializing with friends. Her happy demeanour and kind spirit shine through all she does.
Rochelle Jenkins
Rochelle is a SkiNZure Healthcare Assistant who brings her 27 years’ experience in medical administration to her dual role as receptionist. Having previously worked in Radiology and Oncology settings, she has a broad skill set which she now enjoys applying to this new area of medicine.
From greeting patients to creating whiz bang spreadsheets, she loves the thrill of what a new day may bring. The satisfaction of knowing she is helping others and giving back to her community is what drives her passion for working in healthcare.
Born in beautiful Northland but then based in Auckland for work, she and her husband decided to escape to the country in 2015. Seeking a smaller community and a better place to raise their two children, she has never looked back on the move to Franklin.
Rochelle is astonished by the intricate work of plastic surgery and is thrilled to be part of it. Not as thrilled as we are to have her on the team!
Louise Hitchcock
Louise is a registered nurse with more than 35 years’ experience in various clinical settings.
Starting her career at Middlemore Hospital, she specialised in orthopaedics before embarking on an adventure combining rediscovery of family in her homeland of England with nursing roles in London. The travel bug bit and she travelled extensively around the world before deciding that New Zealand was the place to be. Always up for a challenge, Louise made the move from hospital life to community nursing. Finding her niche she then worked for many years as a General Practice Nurse in South Auckland.
The desire for a change of pace and proximity to family, led Louise and her partner to settle on a lifestyle block in the Franklin district. This is where you will find her pottering in her “work in progress” garden of flowers and vegetables, taking her beloved dog for a walk or working on one of many crafty projects she has on the go.
Pursuing further challenges brought her to Cutting Edge Plastic Surgery. Louise loves the warm, nurturing team environment and the opportunity to develop her skills as a Nurse Dermoscopist. Passionate about patient care you always know you are in safe hands with Louise.
