Dr Catherine Forshaw

Bio

Catherine is a British-trained GP who now resides in Christchurch and works as a General Practitioner. She earned her Medical Degree in 2008 (MBBS) from University College London (UCL). Catherine completed her GP training and became a Member of the Royal College of GPs (MRCGP) in 2015 after spending several years in the NHS. She also completed a postgraduate diploma in Sexual Health and Reproductive Health (DFSRH) in 2018 to deepen her knowledge in women’s health. Before immigrating to New Zealand, Catherine was a General Practice owner and director of local services in the UK. She is also a Certified Practitioner and member of The Menopause Society. Catherine has a considerable clinical interest in ADHD, having completed Goodfellow training and ADDitude courses in this area. She brings both professional insight and a personal understanding of neurodiversity to her work, helping patients feel genuinely seen and supported. She is also experienced in weight management and is able to prescribe all key GLP-1 medications where clinically appropriate, supporting patients with a safe and evidence-based approach. “I practise in a truly holistic way and am a big supporter of lifestyle medicine. I believe that it is not just about using medications but looking at our lives and the way we live in order to manage our health. I have long been an ambassador for Moving Medicine — looking at the evidence of physical activity on illnesses and training health practitioners to deliver this education as an integrated part of the consultation. I am currently undertaking a certificate in medical nutrition to support this. I am a keen runner, currently training for my 7th marathon, and enjoy being active in the gym or outside in nature’s playground! I also understand what it is like to manage a busy work life whilst raising children. As I have entered the perimenopausal age bracket, I am very motivated to help women navigate through what can be a tough phase of life!”

Special interests