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'Inspirational' GPs honoured in RACGP's national awards

Royal Australian College of GPs

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is celebrating GPs going above and beyond for their patients in an annual awards ceremony in Perth on Wednesday 20 November.

Each year, Australia’s peak body for GPs honours doctors and general practices making an exceptional contribution to the wellbeing of their communities through its state and national awards. All the state winners are shortlisted for the national awards, which include other honours such as the Rose-Hunt award, the RACGP’s highest accolade.

RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins congratulated this year’s winners, who will receive their awards on the evening before the opening day of the RACGP GP24 conference.

“This event is one of the highlights of my year, and such an important opportunity to acknowledge the remarkable work GPs and their teams do every single day,” she said.

“The winners represent the very best of general practice and the impact they can have on their communities.

“It's a unique role in medicine, with endless variety and challenges and the opportunity to build meaningful relationships with patients, throughout their lives. These wonderful ambassadors for our profession are further proof there is no substitute for the care of a GP who knows you and your history.”

The winner of the Rose-Hunt Award this year is Dr Bruce Willett, a former RACGP Vice President and Queensland Chair, who is recognised for his significant contribution to the profession in both advocacy and education. He was heavily involved in negotiations leading to a successful payroll tax outcome in Queensland and has helped guide the transition of the GP training program back to the RACGP. He also helped set up the GPs@Parliament program in Queensland, a model that has been replicated across the country.

Dr Willett said being a GP was ‘the best profession in the world”.

“I am thrilled to receive the Rose-Hunt Award,” he said. “As with every award, there are thousands of people, GPs, who do extraordinary things every day unheralded. To that extent, I feel extraordinarily lucky.

“I’m grateful for the support of my colleagues both inside and outside of the RACGP.” 

This year’s General Practice Supervisor of the Year is Dr Meike Flore. As a rural GP raising four children while establishing her own practice, Dr Flore is known for her compassionate “cradle to the grave” care, as well as stressing the importance of work-life balance and patient advocacy.

She described receiving the award as “a deeply humbling experience”.

“I feel incredibly honoured, but I also see this recognition as a tribute to all the dedicated GP supervisors out there who work tirelessly with the next generation of doctors,” she said.

“General practice is the foundation of healthcare. It's about building relationships and being a consistent presence in patients' lives, from the joy of welcoming new births to supporting families through the complexities of end-of-life care. It’s incredibly fulfilling to be part of these life journeys.

“The privilege of caring for families in our community is something I cherish deeply, and it drives me to be the best supervisor and GP I can be.”

Taking the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health Standing Strong Award, Dr Valerie Quah was praised for her meaningful and dedicated work with the First Nations community in Alice Springs, particularly through her work at the Alukura Congress Clinic and at renal dialysis outreach clinics.

''Receiving the award is an incredible privilege,” Dr Quah said. “I want to thank my colleagues and mentors for their amazing support and guiding me from being a junior doctor in Alice Springs Hospital up through my GP registrar terms here. I am dedicated to improving health outcomes for First Nation communities and it is collaborative efforts that make this work possible.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to work and live in Alice Springs and I am truly honoured to work alongside amazing people. The wealth of knowledge I’ve gained from the local community has deeply enriched my practice.”

The full list of the national award winners in 2024 is:

• Dr Bruce Willett (Rose-Hunt Award) 
• Dr Patrick Kinsella (General Practitioner of the Year)
• Growlife Medical (General Practice of the Year) 
• Dr Meike Flore (General Practice Supervisor of the Year)
• Dr Anne-Maree Nielsen (General Practitioner in Training of the Year)
• Dr Penny Need (Corlis Medical Educator Award)
• Dr Catherine Pendrey (Future Leaders Presidents' Medal)
• His Honour Professor The Honourable Hugh Heggie AO PSM (Honorary Fellowship)
• Dr Angelina Salamone (Life Fellowship)
• Dr Rochelle Sleaby (Prof Charlotte Hespe Research Award)
• Ms Lily Thomas (Dr Jeremy Bunker Award for Outstanding Achievement in General Practice Training)
• Dr Odette Phillips (The Aunty Val Dahlstrom Award for Aboriginal Health Excellence)
• Dr Valerie Quah (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health, Standing Strong Award)
• Dr Rebecca Alvarez (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health, Growing Strong Award)
• Ms Talisha Mason (Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health, Medical Student Bursary)
• Dr Tim Mooney (RACGP Rural, Brian Williams Award)
• Dr Jian Ong (RACGP Rural, Registrar of the Year Award)
• Mr Harrison Hamblin (RACGP Rural, Medical Student Bursary Award)
• Dr Ben Bambery (RACGP Rural, Community Research Project of the Year Award)

~ENDS

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The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) is the peak representative organisation for general practice, the backbone of Australia’s health system. We set the standards for general practice, facilitate lifelong learning for GPs, connect the general practice community, and advocate for better health and wellbeing for all Australians.

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