Dr Rajni Lal is leading the way in state-of-the-art evidence-based care. Based in Ryde Hospital, Dr Lal was awarded the Young Researcher Award in the discipline of shared decision-making – a sought-after skillset, supporting her within her role.

Building upon strong foundations, including a Master’s in Public Health, a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP), and most notably, a Clinical Fellow in Perioperative care of Older People undergoing Surgery (POPS) at Guy’s and St Thomas Hospital in the UK, she brings her advanced specialism to a multitude of surgical departments.

To Dr Lal, it’s so much more than a role. Being incredibly passionate about providing warm, yet highly professional care to patients of all needs, demands, and complexities, Dr Lal champions a patient-centric approach. Attentive, compassionate, and dedicated, with a listening ear, Dr Lal believes in the power of choice, encouraging her patients to be involved in the decision-making process. Ultimately, she holds the belief that care should be individualised, challenging the ‘one size fits all’ approach in favour of a space where patients come first.

She represents the Australian and New Zealand Society for Geriatric Medicine (ANZSGM) and Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) on national perioperative care committees, and involved in multiple Agency for Clinical Innovation working groups.

Interests include:

• Perioperative assessment
• Frailty assessment and management of multiple co-morbidities
• Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA)
• Shared decision making
• Prevention and management of delirium
• Capacity assessment
• Medication review and rationalisation
• Falls and fracture prevention
• Depressive and anxiety disorders
• Cognitive impairment and dementia