Our team lives in Newcastle. If our patients require personal attention following surgery, it’s good to know we’re close by.

Dr Mark Gately, Bariatric Surgeon

Dr Mark Gately is a locally trained bariatric (weight loss) surgeon who has worked in Newcastle and the Hunter Region since 2006.

Dr Gately completed his Surgical training in General surgery before heading overseas to further subspecialise in bariatric and benign upper gastrointestinal surgery. Whilst overseas, Dr Gately was employed at Chelsea & Westminster NHS Hospital, an NHS centre of excellence for Bariatric surgery in Central London. Spending 2 years abroad, Dr Gately gained extensive experience in all forms of primary and revisional bariatric procedures including sleeve gastrectomy and gastric bypass, as well as expertise in the surgical management of conditions such as reflux and achalasia.

Currently Dr Gately operates at Lingard Private Hospital.

Dr Gately is very passionate about the delivery of high quality, holistic bariatric surgical care and his patients enjoy his approachable and thoughtful manner.

Dr Martin McLeod, Bariatric Surgeon

Dr Martin McLeod grew up in Newcastle. He undertook training in general surgery locally and obtained his fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS). Following this, he completed further subspecialty training in bariatric (weight loss) surgery in Western Australia at one of Australia’s busiest bariatric surgical centres.

Dr McLeod believes in a holistic approach to the treatment of obesity as a chronic disease. This requires a multi-faceted approach to treatment involving dietitians, GPs, other specialists and surgeons.

To stay up to date with current trends in bariatric and general surgery, Dr McLeod attends national and international conferences at least annually.

The weight loss procedures he performs are:

Dr McLeod also performs hernia surgery (including hiatal hernia), gall bladder surgery and gastroscopy. He operates privately at Lingard Private Hospital.

Monique Santarelli, Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD)

Monique Santarelli is an Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) and Accredited Nutritionist (AN) with a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to providing nutrition and dietary advice to a diverse range of clients.

Monique graduated from the University of Newcastle in 2015 with a Bachelor’s Degree of Nutrition & Dietetics (Hons) and has worked in various roles ranging from public health nutrition, clinical settings including mental health at The Calvary Mater Mental Health Unit (Waratah), Aged Care facilities and private practice.

Monique is a warm, dedicated, and passionate dietitian with a special interest in Bariatric Surgery. Monique has additional training in health coaching and motivational interviewing that supports patients to create positive lifestyle changes. Monique also enjoys combining nutrition and diet with exercise and training programs to achieve desired body composition and performance goals.

Anna Turnock, Psychologist & CEDC

Anna is a registered Psychologist, an Associate Member of the Australian Psychological Society and a CEDC (Certified Eating Disorder Clinician). After completing her honours degree in 2001, Anna undertook an internship in Occupational Rehabilitation, with a focus on medico-legal assessments and reports, pain management, adjustment to change, vocational assessments and counselling. Following completion of her internship, Anna contracted to various local private practices.

Her work experience includes the provision of a diverse range of psychological services, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for anxiety and mood disorders, psychometric testing and report writing, Medicare services, training, relationship counselling, Employee Assistance Program services, executive coaching and performance management, career counselling and coaching, as well as trauma and critical incident management.

In 2006, Anna completed her Masters in Applied Science (Psychology of Coaching), furthering her knowledge of health coaching, positive psychology, motivational interviewing and solution-focused goal-orientated therapy. More recently, Anna has turned her focus to the specific psychological and behavioural challenges associated with bariatric surgery. Bariatric Psychology combines Anna’s interest areas of health coaching, psychology, nutrition and exercise. She values Sea Change Clinic’s multidisciplinary team approach to weight loss treatment.

Anna has a warm, supportive and collaborative approach to therapy. She uses a variety of scientifically validated, evidence-based techniques to support positive outcomes for her clients. Her focus is on providing support for her clients in preparation for surgery and in reaching their weight loss goals.

Amy Gronow, Clinical Nurse Specialist – Bariatrics

Amy is a Nursing Graduate of the University of Western Sydney and has been a Registered Nurse since 2006. She has been a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) since 2011 and has held the Bariatric CNS Portfolio at three local hospitals since 2015, namely Lingard Private, Lakeview Private and Nepean Private. Amy is also a Certified Bariatric Nurse via the ASMBS – one of only four nurses Australia-wide to have this qualification.

Amy’s areas of proficiency include bariatric, laparoscopic, endoscopic, general, gynaecological, urological and plastic surgeries, and her professional memberships include the Australia and New Zealand Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Society (ANZMOSS) and the American Society for Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS).

At Sea Change Weight Loss Clinic, Amy carries out pre- and post-operative assessments and checks with our patients, while maintaining an active involvement in the Bariatric Surgical Registry (BSR). Amy liaises with our multidisciplinary health care team to aid in providing individualised, holistic care to patients undergoing bariatric surgery with an empathetic, friendly and caring approach.

Other Experts

Our dedicated on-site team works together with local GPs and other specialists to provide a holistic approach to weight loss and ongoing management. This is the key to long-term success.