Dr Luisa Arias - GP/Director
MBChB, FRNZCGP
Originally from Colombia, I did my medical training in its capital, Bogota. After graduating, I worked in Colombia as a GP for four years before moving to New Zealand in 2006, where I trained in General Medicine at both Taranaki Base Hospital and Waikato Hospital. I have been working in general practice for the last five years and became a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners in July 2017.
I am married to a New Zealander and have one child. We have been proud Waikato residents for the last seven years and we love it here.
I have a special interest in adult medicine and chronic long-term conditions. I believe having a trustful and respectful relationship with my patients is very important. Every day I work to provide the best possible care for my patients.
Dr Arias works Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday
Dr Shama Padayachey - GP
MBBCh (WITS) MCFP (SA) MFAMMED (WITS) Vocationally Registered in NZ
I am from South Africa. I graduated with my medical degree from the University of Witwatersrand and after graduating I soon realised that my passion in medicine was deeply rooted in Family Medicine. I obtained my MCFP from the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa and my MFAMMED from the University of Witwatersrand. I am vocationally registered as a GP specialist in New Zealand.
I arrived with my family in New Zealand in September 2020. We are really excited to be in New Zealand and we are enjoying living in Cambridge and love the warm Kiwi hospitality – ‘it is one of its kind’.
I believe that working in general practice allows me the unique opportunity to provide health care to patients and their family within the context of their home and work environment. Managing the health needs of my patient is a joint partnership between doctor and patient, which lends itself to successful health outcomes.
I have a special interest in chronic medical conditions, mental health and preventative health.
Dr Shama works Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Dr Christina Benson - GP
BSc (Hons), MBChB, MRCGP (UK), DFFP, FRNZCGP
I was born and brought up in Scotland, completed my first degree in Physiology from the University of St Andrews and then went on to study Medicine at the University of Dundee graduating in 1999. In 2003 I completed my GP training and gained membership to the Royal College of General Practitioners. I have since then continued to work as a GP both in the UK and New Zealand.
My family and I first came to New Zealand in 2007, where we lived and worked in Hawkes Bay. We returned to the UK in 2011 but quickly concluded that New Zealand had left a lasting impression and was the best place to live and bring up our family. In 2017 we returned to the Waikato and have resided in Cambridge ever since. My husband Drew is Medical Director for Chronic Conditions and Cancer Medicine at Waikato Hospital, and we have 2 children who keep us very busy. My special areas of interest are, Women’s Health, in particular Family Planning - including IUD insertions and Mental Health.
I feel that as GPs we are very privileged to know our patients and their families for many years and that the care we provide must always be of the highest standard. It is important that the care provided should be holistic in nature considering all aspects of patients and their family’s needs.
Dr Benson works Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings.
Dr Melissa Titterton - GP
MB ChB 2007 Auckland ; FRNZCGP 2017
Born in Auckland, I completed my medical training at the University of Auckland, Graduating in 2007. From there I moved around Taranaki, Waikato and Bay of Plenty to complete postgraduate years.
I have been working as a General Practitioner since 2011. I completed my fellowship RNZCGP in 2017. My interests include family medicine, women's health and school clinics.
When I'm not at work, I can either be found in the garden or perched on a rock, fishing with my husband and two boys.
Dr Frances Doyle - GP
MBChB (Otago 2014), PGDipSEM, FRNZCGP
Frances was born in the UK and has called New Zealand home for over 20 years. She graduated from the University of Otago in 2014. She worked in Tauranga Hospital for 4 years in a range of specialties, including 2 years as an orthopaedic registrar, before beginning specialist GP training in 2018. Frances completed her GP Fellowship in 2023.
Frances likes the variety of clinical presentations she sees in General Practice. Her special interests include acute illness and injury management and orthopaedics.
Outside of work she enjoys spending time with her young family and keeping active through running and playing football.
Dr Doyle works Monday to Wednesday.
Dr David Sar Shalom Abadi - GP
MD.FRNZCGP
I was born in Caracas (Venezuela) and did my undergraduate studies in Medicine and Surgery there from 1997-2004. After graduating, I did one year of rural GP practice in Margarita Island and moved to Barcelona (Spain) in 2006 to carry out my postgraduate studies in Family and Community Medicine (General Practice) from 2007-2011. I worked there for 4 years before deciding to come to New Zealand with my partner in 2015 and became a Fellow of the Royal New Zealand College of GP's in 2021.
We arrived in Southland and lived in Invercargill for 9 years, but felt it was the right time to move to Cambridge as we'd spent some time in the Waikato with friends and family over the years. My partner is an electrician, and we have 2 adorable fur babies.
I love General Practice in all its scope but have special interests in the integrative management of chronic health conditions, as well as minority healthcare particularly in the areas of gender-affirming healthcare and with minority ethnic communities. I also regularly use dermatoscopy in the review of skin lesions and am adept at performing minor surgical procedures when these are required.
In my spare time - and coming from a very multicultural background - I am very passionate about books, music and languages. I am involved in the psychological field of meaning-centered therapy (the Third Viennese School of Psychotherapy) as developed by Dr Viktor Frankl and its applications in daily life. I am also an enthusiastic learner of Te Reo Māori through Te Wānanga o Aotearoa. I played lacrosse briefly while living in Spain and am keen to pick this up once again, as well as rowing and tramping throughout New Zealand.
It is my sincere hope to be able to get to know my patients and their whānau and develop a close bond that will allow me to provide them with the best care possible in a trustful and respectful setting.
Tiffany Hodgson - Physician Associate
A Physician Associate from Alaska, I relocated to New Zealand in 2010 after completing my medical training at Loma Linda University in California. For the past decade I have enjoyed working in the Waikato in General Practice and Urgent Care.
I love living in the Cambridge area with my husband and two girls, and enjoys spending my free time outdoors. I have special interests in children’s health, urgent care, dermatology and whole-person care.
I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Health Science, a Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies and I am board-certified through the NCCPA in the United States. I am also one of the pioneers of my profession in New Zealand, and continue to work with the Ministry of Health and the NZPA society to gain registration for Physician Associates in NZ.
N.B. as New Zealand is in the early stages of registering PAs as a medical profession, there are limitations on their scope of practice. All PAs’ work at Cambridge Family Health is checked and signed off by a GP.
Carla - Practice Manager
I was born and raised in Cambridge and returned here after living overseas for 15 years. I have been working at Cambridge Family Health since it opened in 2015.
I started as a receptionist and a few years later decided I wanted to further my skills so I studied to become a Primary Care Practice Assistant. This role was very fulfilling and I particularly enjoyed the patient care it involved and assisting the Doctors and Nurses. I stepped away from that role and became Practice Manager in 2021. I am looking forward to continuing to deliver a high standard of customer service and working alongside the amazing staff we have.
My husband and I have three boys who keep us very busy. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends and love watching my children play sport.
Nursing team
Our nursing team comprises: Karen and Carolyn our Nurse Prescribers, Megan, Jenny and Katee, our Registered Nurses, Lisa, our Enrolled Nurse, and Andrea and Carla, our PCPAs (Primary Care Practice Assistants). We also have Kathy and Jo, our casual Registered Nurse.
Receptionists
We have five lovely Receptionists here at Cambridge Family Health: Sue, Rae, Jody, Cass and Jess