Dr Lee Anderson

Palliative and Supportive Care Specialist

Lee graduated from the University of Otago in 1996 and initially trained in General Practice in Wellington, before realising her real passion lay in caring for people with life-limiting illnesses and complex symptoms related to serious illness. She started her training in Palliative Medicine in Wellington and completed this in Christchurch after moving here with her family in 2011. She has been a fellow of the Australasian Chapter of Palliative Medicine since 2014 and has been working at Nurse Maude Hospice Palliative Care Service since then.

Lee believes that communicating well with patients and families is at the heart of good care. She understands the enormous impact that having complex symptoms or a life limiting illness has on patients and their families and takes the time to listen and understand each person’s experience, concerns and hopes. Her focus is on enabling people to live as well as they can by providing the best possible treatment of pain and other symptoms, and in guiding patients to make decisions that align with what is most important to them.

Lee is passionate about teaching other health professionals to communicate well and has been facilitating communication skills training courses in Australia and New Zealand for many years. She has a strong interest in medical education and is actively involved in training future Palliative Medicine Specialists.