Nicola Spurrier
Nicola Jane Spurrier PSM (born 9 December 1966) is an Australian paediatrician and public health physician who has been the Chief Public Health Officer of South Australia since August 2019.
Nicola Spurrier | |
|---|---|
 Spurrier speaks on South Australia Police News in 2021 | |
| Born | Nicola Jane Smith 9 December 1966 (age 55) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Alma mater | University of Adelaide |
| Occupation | paediatrician and public health physician |
| Spouse(s) | David Spurrier (m. 1990) |
| Children | Three |
| Awards | Public Service Medal June 2021 |
| Chief Public Health Officer for South Australia | |
| Assumed office August 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Paddy Phillips PSM |
Education
Spurrier graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery from the University of Adelaide in 1990.[1] She has a Graduate Diploma in Epidemiology from the University of Newcastle (1997) and completed a PhD from Adelaide University in 1999, with a thesis titled Parental management of children's asthma:the role of psychosocial factors.[1]
Career
Spurrier worked at the Women's and Children's Hospital in Adelaide from 1993 until 1999, before becoming a lecturer in Paediatrics and Child Health at Flinders University and consultant paediatrician at Flinders Medical Centre.[1][2][3] In 2011, the University awarded her the status of Associate Professor and in April 2020, Professor.[3][2] She is qualified as a specialist in both public health and paediatrics.[2]
Spurrier has worked for SA Health for nearly thirty years,[3] developing and implementing programs and policies focused on child health, obesity prevention and Aboriginal health.[4][5] She is a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians and the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine.[1]
Spurrier became Chief Public Health Officer for South Australia in August 2019. Four months later, she was involved in the state's response to bushfires.[6] From 2020, Spurrier has led South Australia's response to the COVID-19 pandemic,[4] giving daily press conferences alongside Premier Steven Marshall in which she has been called "calm, honest and direct".[5] She has been popular with the public and had a cocktail named after her at Adelaide bar 2KW.[7] Despite her "cult following", she has ruled out a move into politics.[8][9] She was one of four nominees for 2021 South Australian of the Year.[4]
Spurrier was awarded a Public Service Medal in the 2021 Queen's Birthday Honours for outstanding public service to community health in South Australia.[10]
Selected publications
Book
- Kirke, Kerry; Spurrier, Nicola; Bray, Martin (2009). Screening For Good Health: The Australian Guide To Health Screening And Immunisation. Melbourne University Publishing. ISBN 9780522859331.
Articles
- Nicola J Spurrier; Michael G Sawyer; Jennifer J Clark; Peter Baghurst (1 January 2003). "Socio-economic differentials in the health-related quality of life of Australian children: results of a national study". Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 27 (1): 27–33. doi:10.1111/J.1467-842X.2003.TB00376.X. ISSN 1326-0200. PMID 14705264. Wikidata Q53359918.
- Nicola J Spurrier; Michael G Sawyer; David L Streiner; A James Martin; Declan Kennedy (1 September 2005). "New measure of parental asthma management for school-age children". Pediatric Pulmonology. 40 (3): 241–250. doi:10.1002/PPUL.20261. ISSN 8755-6863. PMID 16013068. Wikidata Q53618590.
- Nicola J Spurrier; Anthea M Magarey; Catherine Wong (1 July 2006). "Recognition and management of childhood overweight and obesity by clinicians". Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health. 42 (7–8): 411–418. doi:10.1111/J.1440-1754.2006.00890.X. ISSN 1034-4810. PMID 16898877. Wikidata Q53591063.
- Nicola J Spurrier; Anthea M Magarey; Rebecca Golley; Fiona Curnow; Michael G Sawyer (30 May 2008). "Relationships between the home environment and physical activity and dietary patterns of preschool children: a cross-sectional study". International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity. 5: 31. doi:10.1186/1479-5868-5-31. ISSN 1479-5868. PMC 2432071. PMID 18513416. Wikidata Q36728811.
- Nicola J Spurrier; Robert E Volkmer; Christina Abi Abdallah; Alwin Chong (1 June 2012). "South Australian four-year-old Aboriginal children: residence and socioeconomic status influence weight". Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health. 36 (3): 285–290. doi:10.1111/J.1753-6405.2012.00872.X. ISSN 1326-0200. PMID 22672037. Wikidata Q40039558.
- Allison Larg; John R Moss; Nicola Spurrier (22 February 2018). "Relative contribution of overweight and obesity to rising public hospital in-patient expenditure in South Australia". Australian Health Review. doi:10.1071/AH17147. ISSN 0156-5788. PMID 29467071. Wikidata Q51368355.
- Patrick C K Tam; Kathleen M Ly; Max L Kernich; Nicola Spurrier; Diana Lawrence; David L Gordon; Emily C Tucker (30 May 2020). "Detectable severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in human breast milk of a mildly symptomatic patient with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)". Clinical Infectious Diseases. doi:10.1093/CID/CIAA673. ISSN 1058-4838. PMC 7314245. PMID 32472683. Wikidata Q96025027.
Personal life
Spurrier has been married to David Spurrier, a physiotherapist, for thirty years and they have a daughter and two sons.[6][8] Her mother, sister, and brother in law are all also doctors.[11]
References
- "Nicola Spurrier" (PDF).
- "Professor Nicola Spurrier". Flinders University.
- Farhart, Claudia (19 April 2020). "Who are the experts behind Australia's coronavirus response?". SBS News. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- "Spurrier nominated for SA Australian of the Year". InDaily. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- "Meet South Australia's 16 nominees for the 2021 Australian of the Year Awards". Port Pirie Recorder. 6 October 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- Debelle, Penelope (29 May 2020). "SA Weekend inside story: How Nicola Spurrier became the face of South Australia's resistance to the COVID-19 crisis". The Advertiser. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- Penberthy, David (24 September 2020). "SA tastes freedom under Marshall law". The Australian. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- Hough, Andrew (31 July 2020). "Popular top doc rules out career in politics". The Advertiser. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- Richardson, Tom (1 March 2021). "Minister pondering new environment as Boothby contenders circle". InDaily. Retrieved 15 March 2021.
- Swanell, Cate (14 June 2021). "Queen's Birthday honorees". Medical Journal of Australia. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- "The family that gives back". Flinders University. 2020.