Dr Jon Ford

Musculoskeletal Physiotherapist, Clinical and Managing Director, Associate Professor of Physiotherapy

PhD, MPhysio, BAppSc(Physio), CredMDT

Clinics: Boronia, Dandenong 

In the early 90s whilst lecturing at The University of Melbourne Jon began developing evidence-based treatment models for people with back pain.  He subsequently established Spinal Management Clinics (part of the LifeCare group) which became one of the leading providers of physiotherapy and multi-disciplinary pain management programs in Australia.  In 2014 to enable a greater focus on improving clinical quality and research, Jon with the practitioners below, purchased and rebranded the clinics as Advance Healthcare.  Jon continues his academic work as the Discipline Lead of Physiotherapy at La Trobe University, as well as leading the Low Back Pain Research Team.  

Jon's clinical and research interest is the diagnosis and treatment of difficult and/or persistent low back pain.  He is also the Team Leader of the Boronia multi-disciplinary Pain Management program.  

Jon speaks fluent German.

Mr Charles Ruddock

Principal Psychologist, Clinical Psychologist, Director 

BA, Grad Dip(Psych), MPsych(Coun)

Clinics: Bundoora, Dandenong

Has spent 18 years working as a psychologist in hospital and private practice settings.  This has included assessing and treating patients, managing and supervising multi-disciplinary teams, developing and delivering training and providing consultancy services.   Has strong clinical skills in a range of mental health areas with a particular interest in: chronic pain conditions, stress conditions, workplace injuries (physical and stress related), returning to work after a workplace injury (physical or stress related).

Dr Ekeuda Uchenna Ben Nwankwo

Medical Officer

MBBS, MRO, PGradCertDerm, PGradCertEM, PGradDipEmergMed, PGradDipChHlth, PGradDipPainMgt, MPHlth, MOcc&EnvHlth, FACRRM

Clinic: Bundoora

Dr Uchenna is a Specialist General Practitioner with Post Graduate Studies in Pain Medicine; Occupational Medicine; Public Health; Rural & Remote Health; Emergency Medicine & Trauma.

He trained with both rural, metropolitan hospitals and health centres as well as big co-operate bodies in mining, ambulance services, oil and gas. He has wealth of experience in acute and chronic injury management, wellness program, return to work fitness assessment.

He has special interest in multi-disciplinary medicine and integrated approach to pain management for Occupational injuries in Workcover and T.A.C.

Dr Olivia Ong

Rehabilitation and Pain Specialist

MBBS(Melb), BMedSci, FAFRM(RACP), FFPMANZCA

Clinic: Dandeong

Olivia is a dual trained Rehabilitation and Pain Specialist who has extensive training and experience in Pain Medicine, both during her rehabilitation registrar and pain fellow training and as a specialist. Olivia graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2004 and completed her Rehabilitation Specialist training in 2016.

Olivia undertook her pain fellowship at Austin Health, the Barbara Walker Centre for Pain Management, Alfred Health as well as Precision Health and Melbourne Pain Group from 2016 to 2018. She completed her Faculty of Pain Medicine training in 2018.

Along with consulting at Advance Health Care, Olivia is also consulting as a Rehabilitation and Pain Specialist at the Epworth Camberwell and the Melbourne Pain Group. Her main interest is in neuropathic pain in neurological disorders, in particular central pain disorders.

Olivia is also fluent in Mandarin and Indonesian and along with her excellent communication skills, she values greatly an emphatic approach to the sociopsychobiomedical management of her patients.

Dr Navid Hamedani

Pain Medicine Fellow

MD, FRACGP, FAMAC

Clinics: Boronia, Dandenong

Dr Hamedani has a keen interest in the management of patients with persistent pain conditions and is familiar with the impact of pain on patients, their family and ability to work. This has been a key motivation for his training in the subspecialty of pain medicine, with the ultimate goal of providing a better quality of life for his patients. 

Dr Hamedani has previously worked at MetroSouth Persistent Pain Management Service in Brisbane and as a senior lecturer at the University of Queensland Medical School. He has completed training in pain medicine in public and private pain centres, working with pain rehabilitation and intervention teams to ensure that his patients receive high quality holistic care for acute and/or chronic pain problems.

Dr Luke Surkitt

APA Pain Physiotherapist

PhD, BPhysio, Cred MDT, APAM

Clinics: Boronia, Dandenong

Luke commenced working as a physiotherapist for our group in 1997. Since then, he has developed experience in treating a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions with a particular interest in acute and chronic spinal pain. Luke has completed a PhD on the treatment of low back pain using the McKenzie approach. He is the author or co-author of several research articles on low back pain published in physiotherapy and medical journals. Luke is a Credentialed McKenzie practitioner and has also achieved the title of APA Pain Physiotherapist.

Luke is a member of the multidisciplinary Network Pain Management team at Advance Healthcare Boronia (Team Leader) and Dandenong. He also works part-time at La Trobe University teaching evidence-based practice and research skills to final year physiotherapy students as well as post-graduate students in the Masters of Musculoskeletal and Sports Physiotherapy programs.

Joanna Paterson

Clinical Psychologist

BA(Hons), MPsych(Clin)

Clinics: Boronia, Dandenong

Joanna is a registered psychologist and has experience working in hospital settings as well as in private practice.  Joanna has an interest in persistent pain and adjustment issues, and uses a variety of evidence based therapies to help her clients achieve their therapy goals. Therapy modalities may include Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), Schema Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT).

Joanna has sound clinical skills in the assessment and treatment of a variety of concerns, including mood and anxiety disorders, adjustment disorder, pain, trauma, grief, and personality disorder.

Joanna has a warm and empathetic style and strives to provide clients with a safe and non-judgemental space in which to explore their thoughts and concerns.

Scott Bednarz

Physiotherapist

BPhysio

Clinic: Boronia, Dandenong

Scott graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy in 2013 and has been treating patients in a private practice setting since. Over this time he has developed a keen interest in pain science and the treatment of persistent low back pain. He commenced working with Advance Healthcare in 2016.

Scott enjoys working with his patients to help them set and achieve challenging and rewarding goals. He also enjoys teaching and mentoring and is keen to develop this to one day work at a University level.

Outside of the clinic Scott enjoys playing guitar and piano, as well as teaching his dog, Ollie, new tricks. Scott is also a keen traveller and is slowly ticking places off his list.

Susanna Blagin

Psychologist

BS, GradDip(Psych)

Clinic: Dandenong

Susanna is a registered psychologist with experience in public and private settings. She has many years of experience in assessment, diagnosis and the provision of evidence-based psychological treatments including cognitive-behavioural therapy, mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy and dialectical behaviour therapy. She has worked with a variety of mental health difficulties and across the lifespan (children, adolescents, adults and older adults). She takes a humanistic approach and places a great deal of value in the therapeutic relationship.

She is currently completing her Masters of Clinical Psychology.

Shane Pritchard

Physiotherapist 

BPhysio, APAM

Clinic: Dandenong

Shane commenced with Advance Healthcare Dandenong in 2019, and is a member of the Network Pain Management team at Dandenong.

Shane graduated from Monash University in 2013, and has worked in metropolitan, regional and remote areas in Victoria and the Northern Territory. He has post-graduate training and experience in persistent and complex pain, exercise rehabilitation, shoulder and spinal physiotherapy.

Shane also works part time at Monash University as Teaching Associate of Physiotherapy, involved in clinical and simulation-based education. He is also a member of the Vic branch of the Australian Physiotherapy Association Educators committee.

Kirsten Stower

Physiotherapist

BPhysio, APAM

Clinics: Dandenong, Boronia

Kirsten graduated in 2010 with a Bachelor of Physiotherapy from the University of Queensland. Since then she has worked in private practice in both Australia and England, where she has treated a variety of patients, including those with acute sporting injuries and persistent pain.

Kirsten believes in a holistic approach to patient care, placing great importance on active rehabilitation and education towards long-term self-management. Kirsten enjoys working within a multidisciplinary team to assist patients with persistent pain in developing the necessary skills to empower them to achieve optimal health and happiness. In order to ensure her patients receive the best evidence-based treatment, Kirsten commenced her Master of Science in Medicine (Pain Management) at the University of Sydney in 2017.

Alongside persistent pain, Kirsten has an interest in treating patients with shoulder, knee or running injuries.

When Kirsten isn’t at the clinic she enjoys hiking in the Dandenong ranges, wakeboarding, running and practicing yoga.