Dr. Alister Ford

Dr. Alister Ford
Dr. Alister FordAnaesthetist

About Alister

MBBS
FANZCA

Dr. Alister Ford graduated from Monash University in 1999, and has been working full time since. He completed his anaesthetic training as part of the Southern (now Monash) Health training scheme, and continues to work within Monash Health as a Visiting Medical Officer.

Alister works privately with Orthopaedic surgeons at many different Melbourne hospitals, including Epworth (Richmond), Cabrini (Malvern and Brighton), Linacre, and St Vincent’s Private (East Melbourne).

He is also interested in Obstetric anaesthesia, and has trained and subsequently worked as a Visiting Medical Officer at The Women’s Hospital in Parkville. This footing has enabled him to feel confident in managing women for obstetric anaesthetic interventions at Cabrini, Epworth Freemasons, and St Vincent’s Private Hospitals. Alister is involved in both the in-hours and after-hours rosters for these hospitals.

Dr. Ford was involved in the COVID response at Monash Anaesthesia, with a role in Communications across the network. He has an alternate skill-set that includes web-site design / development, database design / development, and when not at work can be found trying to grow fruit in his garden or repairing the kids rock- climbing wall. With five* children, however, any spare time is generally notional. He is a regular speaker at the ANZCA primary examination course and Monash Anaesthesia training scheme, with a focus on the wonderfully stimulating topics of Pharmacodynamics and the Pharmacokinetics of drug infusions.

*gulp

Associations (Surgeons / Obstetricians)

Mr. Chris Jones
Mr. Chris JonesMBBS, FRACS (Orth.)
Orthopaedic Surgeon

Mr Chris Jones is a Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, with The Orthopaedic Group, a group of dedicated surgeons with a long history of serving the Melbourne Bayside community with comprehensive orthopaedic services.

Chris lived in Sydney before moving to Bayside Melbourne and completing his schooling at Brighton Grammar School. He studied medicine at Monash University and completed his orthopaedic training through the Australian Orthopaedic Association’s Victorian training program, including six months studying paediatric orthopaedic surgery in Portland, Oregon, USA.

The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons admitted Mr Chris Jones as a Fellow in 2009. He undertook further subspecialty fellowship training in hip and knee surgery in Halifax, Canada working with the world-renowned hip and knee surgeon Dr Michael Dunbar.

Chris has published prizewinning research to help reduce infection in surgery, papers on total knee replacement alignment and fixation, and has written textbook chapters on both total knee replacement and total hip replacement.

Mr. Sam Patten
Mr. Sam PattenMBBS, FRACS (Orth.)
Orthopaedic Surgeon

Mr Sam Patten is a Specialist Orthopaedic Surgeon, working out of rooms in East Melbourne (above St Vincent’s Private hospital, formerly Mercy Private Hospital.

Sam is a specialist in hip and knee surgery, and has a vast range of experience including:

  • Arthroscopic surgery of the knee and hip
  • ACL reconstructions
  • Trauma / fracture surgery
  • Total hip replacement
  • Total knee joint replacement
  • Revision surgery for complicated hip and knee procedures.

Sam holds a position at Royal Melbourne Hospital, and works privately at Epworth Richmond and St Vincent’s Private Hospital, East Melbourne.

Dr. Chantel Thornton
Dr. Chantel ThorntonBMSc(Hons), MBBS(Hons), FRACS
Specialist Breast Cancer Surgeon

Dr Chantel Thornton is passionate about delivering the highest standard of care to patients with breast conditions, including multi-disciplinary care for breast cancer.

Chantel is a specialist breast cancer surgeon specialising in the surgical treatment of breast cancer and all benign breast conditions, including breast reconstruction, sentinel node biopsy, familial breast cancer and risk reduction surgery (skin sparing and nipple sparing mastectomy) and delivery of multi-disciplinary breast cancer care. She has a special interest in oncoplastic breast cancer surgery, a relatively new sub-specialty aimed at maximising cosmetic results with breast conservation surgery. Chantel uses bedside ultrasound and also has the ability to perform core biopsies in the consulting rooms and she works with specialist breast pathologists and radiologists.

Chantel obtained a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) with First Class Honours from the University of Tasmania. She was awarded eight university prizes and graduated as Dux of her year in 2000. She also completed a Bachelor of Medical Sciences and received a scholarship to complete an Honours Degree at the University of Hong Kong in 1998.

Chantel became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2010. She undertook surgical training at The Alfred Hospital and did a Fellowship in Breast Cancer Surgery at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre.

Chantel has attended Oncoplastic Breast Surgery courses in Chicago and Washington, and at the Institute of European Oncology in Milan.

She is a Member of the American Society of Breast Surgeons, Breast Surgeons of Australia and New Zealand, Australasian Society for Breast Disease, the Victorian Medical Women’s Society, the Australian Federation of Medical Women and the Medical Women’s International Association. Chantel is also a member of Women on Boards, and a member of the Cancer Council of Victoria, Victorian Cooperative Oncology Group and Breast Cancer Committee.

Philanthropy is an important part of Chantel’s life and she is currently on the Committee of Women at The Alfred, and a Board Member of the Foundation for Surgery – Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and a board member of Foundation for Breast Cancer Care. Chantel is also a member of the Epworth Foundation Special Events Committee. Her former roles include Patron of the Royal Flying Doctors Service Flying 1000, Chair of Life Support which supports trauma care at The Alfred Hospital and Board Member of The Alfred Foundation. Chantel has also held a position as an Honorary Lecturer at Monash University.

Chantel is currently working at the AGORA Centre for Women’s Health at Epworth Hospital Richmond, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, BreastScreen Victoria (St Vincent’s) and Hobson’s Bay Specialist Centre in Williamstown.

Mr. Rabi Solaiman
Mr. Rabi SolaimanMBBS, FRACS (Orth.)
Orthopaedic Surgeon

Mr. Solaiman graduated from Monash University in year 2000. He worked at The Alfred Hospital for four years before commencing a career in Orthopaedic Surgery. After successfully completing a four year advanced training in Orthopaedic Surgery in 2010, Mr. Solaiman further pursued his subspecialty training by undertaking Hip and Knee Arthroplasty Fellowships both locally and internationally. In 2012, he travelled to UK to complete a fellowship in Difficult Primary and Revision Arthroplasty at The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh under the supervision of Professor Colin Howie.

Mr. Solaiman’s objective is to provide the best care to his patients by improving their quality of life. His practice revolves around evidence based medicine and utilizing the most recent advances in technology to ensure the best possible outcome for his patients. Mr. Solaiman is currently a consultant orthopaedic surgeon at Monash Health. He also consults privately at Waverley Orthopaedic Clinic and St John of God Berwick. He enjoys teaching undergraduate medical students and post graduate orthopaedic registrars rotating through Monash Health. Mr. Solaiman is actively involved in research at Monash Health and has presented numerous papers in various scientific conferences over the years. He is a member of Australian Orthopaedic Association and a Fellow of The Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He has an interest in computer navigation, minimally invasive surgery, and early mobilisation in order to optimise his patient outcome.