INTRODUCING
Our Team
Dr James Tan
BSc MB ChB FRACS
SPECIALIST BARIATRIC, LAPAROSCOPIC AND GENERAL SURGEON
Dr James Tan is a New Zealand-trained Bariatric and General Surgeon. Born in Wellington, he completed medical school at the University of Otago in Dunedin and Christchurch. He has worked in various public hospitals throughout Aotearoa as part of his surgical training, and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2021.
Following completion of surgical training, James undertook post-fellowship training in General Surgery at North Shore Hospital, Auckland. This was followed by sub-specialty training in Upper Gastrointestinal and Bariatric Surgery as a Fellow at Austin Health in Melbourne, Australia—one of the largest public bariatric units in Australia.
James is a fully accredited endoscopist with the Conjoint Committee for Recognition of Training in Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. He also holds a public Consultant General Surgeon position at Hawke’s Bay Hospital, and is a member of the following professional organisations:
International Federation for the Surgery of Obesity and Metabolic Disorders (IFSO)
Australian & New Zealand Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Society (ANZMOSS)
Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand Gastric and Oesophageal Surgery Association (AANZGOSA)
James is a Southern Cross Health Insurance Affiliated Provider.
Dr Brian Chen
MB ChB ASCeXAM (testamur) DipPOM FANZCA
SPECIALIST ANAESTHETIST
Dr Brian Chen studied medicine at the University of Otago in New Zealand, before graduating with Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery, and Bachelor of Medical Sciences (First Degree Honours) in 2011. His post-graduate studies include a Diploma in Child Health from the University of Otago, and Graduate Certificate in Clinical Ultrasound from the University of Melbourne, Australia.
Brian underwent his anaesthetic training in New Zealand and Melbourne. He undertook a 12-month perioperative anaesthetic fellowship at the Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, before being awarded Fellowship of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (FANZCA) in 2019. He then completed further subspecialty training in transthoracic echocardiography and regional anaesthesia at Joondalup Health Campus, Perth, in 2020. He returned to Hawke’s Bay as a permanent staff specialist and completed the American National Board Exam in adult transthoracic echocardiography in 2021. He obtained a Diploma in Perioperative Medicine from ANZCA in 2023.
Brian maintains a balanced public and private practice in Hawke’s Bay. He likes to travel, play tennis, collect wines and shoot film photography in his spare time.
Brian is a member of the New Zealand Society of Anaesthetists.
Andrew Pickering
BSc (Human Nutrition) PGDipDiet NZRD
BARIATRIC DIETITIAN
Andrew Pickering studied nutrition at the University of Otago, completing a Bachelor of Science majoring in Human Nutrition in 2006, followed by a Postgraduate Diploma in Dietetics in 2008. He is a New Zealand Registered Dietitian and a Dietitian Prescriber.
Andrew has worked as a dietitian at Hawke’s Bay Hospital for over 15 years. He has experience in a range of clinical areas but found surgical and intensive care nutrition the most challenging and rewarding and chose to specialise in these areas. It was here that he was first introduced to bariatric surgery and gained experience providing nutritional support to patients after surgery.
He entered private practice in 2012 and has since had the pleasure of supporting over 600 patients on their weight loss journeys. He is passionate about nutrition and weight loss and looks forward to working with you on your journey to better health.
Outside of work, Andrew has a lovely wife and two teenage sons. When not at work you may find him playing football, on the golf course or outdoors hunting the Kawekas.