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Contact Details

Phone
+64 4 385 5357
Email
meredith.perry@otago.ac.nz
Position
Associate Professor and Deputy Dean, School of Physiotherapy
Qualifications
BPhty, MPhty(Distinction), PhD
Research summary
Disability, Long-term conditions, Health equity, Supported self-management, Physical activity, Greenspace, Inter-professional Education (IPE)
Teaching
  • Undergraduate: Physical activity, Musculoskeletal physiotherapy, Equity, Clinical education, Research & research methods
  • Postgraduate: PHTY 501 Theoretical Principles and Biomedical Sciences in Physiotherapy, PHTY 535 Advanced Physiotherapy Management
  • Thesis supervision: Honours, Master’s, and PhD research
Memberships

International:

  • ISPAH International Society For Physical Activity And Health
  • WCPT World Confederation of Physical Therapists Network for Health Promotion in Life & Work, Environmental Physiotherapy Association

National:

  • Collaboration of Ageing Research Excellence (CARE) Theme Executive Committee
  • Critical Disability Network
  • Diversity and Equity Committee (Otago)
  • Tae Ora Tinana
  • Wellington Inter-Professional Teaching Initiative (WITI)
  • Physiotherapy New Zealand
  • Member Emeritus Wellington Branch - Physiotherapy New Zealand
  • Physiotherapy New Zealand Special Interest Groups (Older Adult, Paediatric, Neurology)
Clinical
Clinical teaching one day a week in primary or secondary care

Research

Meredith is an experienced physiotherapist and researcher committed to reducing health inequities with and for disabled people. Her research uses community-partnered, co-designed approaches to address health system barriers at multiple levels, informed by local, national, and international collaborations. She works interprofessionally to positively disrupt healthcare delivery and enable accessible, resilient communities with demonstrable policy impact.

  1. Health equity and disability

    Reducing health inequities for disabled people and tāngata whaikaha Māori by examining structural barriers, social determinants of health, and systemic discrimination.

  2. Accessible environments

    Co-designing accessible parks, playgrounds, and built environments with disabled people.
    Parks for Activity and Recreation in the Community Study (PARCS)

  3. Supported self-management

    Co-designing culturally responsive self-management interventions for people with long-term conditions, emphasising interdependence models.
    Supported Self-Management Research Programme: Taunakitanga Takitini

  4. Respiratory care for neuromuscular disorders

    Investigating access and equity in non-invasive ventilation (NIV) and MI-E provision, including health system barriers and regional variation.

  5. Interprofessional Education (IPE)

    Developing interprofessional education programs (WITI) for health students focusing on collaborative practice and long-term conditions management.

Additional details

Named investigator on large grants:

  • Taunakitanga Takitini: reframing self-management support for all in Aotearoa (HRC programme)
  • Co-creation and piloting of a digital self-help intervention (iSelf-help) for persistent pain (HRC project)
  • Te Ao Mārama: Disability perspectives of tāngata whaikaha Māori (HRC project)
  • Tāngata whaikaha Māori probabilistic panel survey research (Te Niwha)
  • Evaluation of the allied health care capacity demand methodology (Health New Zealand)

Peer-recognition:

  • Outstanding contribution to COVID-19 response, Disability directorate, Ministry of Health, New Zealand
  • Grant reviewer:
    • Dutch Research Council
    • WCF Dutch Physiotherapy
    • Arthritis UK
    • Health Research Council
    • Heart Foundation NZ
    • Neurological Foundation
    • Physiotherapy New Zealand Scholarship Trust Fund
  • Editorial Boards:
    • Associate Editor of Disability and Rehabilitation, New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, and Disabilities
  • Appointments:
    • External advisor Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, MSc Rehabilitation Practice Management (Interprofessional programme) and Bachelor of Physiotherapy with Honours, Faculty of Health Sciences (2025-2028)
    • External examiner: University of Limerick (Interprofessional Masters Advanced Healthcare programme) 2022-2026
    • Local organising committee - In Sickness and in Health (2022-2024)
    • Physiotherapy New Zealand 2020 Conference Academic Chair
    • Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand Re-certification Working Group (2018-2020)
    • Physiotherapy Board of New Zealand Clinical Competence Reviewer (2017-current)

Publications

Hale, L., Jones, B. H., Dewes, O., Keown, S., Mirfin-Veitch, B., Wilkinson, A., Keen, D., Norris, P., McKinlay, E., Perry, M., … Trip, H., Ingham, T., & Longnecker, N. (2026). Taunakitanga Takitini, reframing self-management support for all in Aotearoa New Zealand: Protocol for a participatory case study program of research. JMIR Research Protocols, 15, e89658. doi: 10.2196/89658 Journal - Research Other

Watson, G., Buhler, M., Tofi, V. M., Gauld, R., & Perry, M. A. (2026). Workforce profile and turnover intentions of Health New Zealand physiotherapists in Aotearoa New Zealand. New Zealand Journal of Physiotherapy, 54(1), 19-35. doi: 10.15619/nzjp.v54i1.513496 Journal - Research Article

Devan, H., Perry, M., Dean, S. G., Tennakoon Dassanayake, S., Liu, J., & Hale, L. (2026). A mixed method evaluation of behavioural change techniques in iSelf-Help: A co-designed online group pain management programme in Aotearoa New Zealand. Journal of Pain, 43, 106280. doi: 10.1016/j.jpain.2026.106280 Journal - Research Article

Orpwood, B., Wilkinson, A., Perry, M., Keen, D., & Hale, L. (2026). Understanding New Zealand physiotherapy scholars' philosophies and practices of supported self-management: A qualitative study. Disability & Rehabilitation. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/09638288.2026.2632938 Journal - Research Article

Belcher, S., Crump, N., Perry, M., & Kovanur Sampath, K. (2026). Knowledge, attitudes, and practices of New Zealand council members when developing accessible public playgrounds for children of all abilities. Disability & Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/17483107.2026.2628320 Journal - Research Article

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