GPs’ outstanding community contributions honoured

GPs from across Australia are being celebrated for their contributions to community, medicine, and their profession as part of the 2026 King’s Birthday Honours.
 
This year, 948 people are being recognised with an award, including more than a dozen GPs.
 
Governor-General Sam Mostyn said the honours recognise ‘outstanding people’ who have made an exceptional contribution to Australia.
 
‘Just like those honoured across the past 50 years, their service and achievement in the community and public service, industry and academia, science, the arts and sport help shape our nation,’ she said.
 
‘The work of our award recipients, and the contributions of the thousands of Australians who have been nominated and recognised throughout the history of our honours system, is something we can take great pride in celebrating.’
 
Among those recipients is RACGP Specific Interests – Digital Health and Innovation Chair Dr Sean Stevens, who was recognised for his ‘service to general practice medicine’.
 
He told newsGP he is ‘very honoured and chuffed’ to receive the honour.
 
‘It’s recognition really of all the people and teams that I’ve worked with over the years, so it’s an award as much for the teams I’ve worked with as it is for me,’ Dr Stevens said.
 
‘I just love the profession and the job, and I really enjoy working with like-minded people – it really has been a privilege to do the work that I’ve been lucky enough to do.’
 
He said two things spring to mind when he thinks of his career highlights: the COVID-19 pandemic, during much of which he served as RACGP WA Chair, and his work as a supervisor.
 
‘I’ve been a supervisor for about 25 years now and it’s one of the highlights of the work that I do,’ Dr Stevens said.
 
‘They’re always going to be good doctors, but to think that you have played a part and hopefully instilled some good values, it’s a really positive experience of general practice and general practice supervision.’
 
‘I love seeing and helping people when they’re unwell but also seeing them when they’ve recovered and they’re well again.
 
‘We are so privileged to be able to see people through thick and thin, to be able to support them through some of the most difficult moments but also celebrate some of the most positive moments.’
 
Dr Stevens joins a long list of past and present GPs on the King’s Birthday 2026 Honours list.
 
Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the General Division
Professor Noel Hayman, Queensland
For significant service to medicine, particularly to Indigenous health care and medical education.
 
Professor Hayman was Queensland’s first Indigenous doctor and is one of Australia’s leading health experts and advocates.

He has been the Clinical Director of the Inala Indigenous Health Service since 1995, is the Co-Founder and Director of the Southern Queensland Centre of Excellence in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Primary Health Care, as well as holding many academic roles.

The recipient of many awards and prizes, Professor Hayman was Queensland’s Australian of the Year in 2011.
 
Dr Shane Sondergeld, Queensland
For significant service to rural and remote medicine, to general practice, and to the community.
 
Dr Sondergeld is being recognised for his vast contributions to rural medicine in Australia, which includes stints as president with the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland and the Australian Medical Association Queensland.

He was also a foundation board member of the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine in 1997.

Dr Sondergeld’s general practice career has taken him across rural Queensland, including in the tight-knit Texas community where he worked for 15 years.
 
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division
Dr Andrew Beattie, New South Wales
For service to the community of Coffs Harbour.
 
Dr Beattie was a GP at the Wurli-Wurlinjang Health Service in Katherine from 1982–84, before spending almost 30 years working in his Coffs Harbour community.

He has authored several publications – writing on topics ranging from Aboriginal health to melanoma early detection, and bicycle-related injured.
 
Dr Fiona Boyd, New South Wales
For service to general and palliative care medicine.
 
Dr Boyd is being celebrated for her significant contribution to palliative care medicine, which includes being a palliative care consultant at the Toronto Private Hospital since 1992.

She is also currently a GP at the Glendale Medical Centre and a medical student supervisor.

Dr Boyd has served on many organisations, including being Chair of the West Lake Macquarie Medical Association, and former Treasurer of the Medical Women’s Society of New South Wales, Hunter Branch.
 
Dr Wesley Cormick, Australian Capital Territory
For service to ultrasound and general practice medicine.
 
As a general medical practitioner and sonologist in the Australian Capital Territory 1993–2014, Dr Cormick is being awarded for his services to ultrasound medicine.

His work has included presenting widely for the Australasian Society for Ultrasound Medicine and the Australasian Sonographers Association. In 2013, Dr Cormick was named Sonologist of the Year.
 
Dr Kenneth Facer, New South Wales
For service to medicine as a general practitioner.
 
Dr Facer worked as doctor at the Sydney Adventist Hospital, as well as a GP in Leeton and Gladesville.

He was a member of the Federal Health Commission in 1992, as well as being a member of the Australian Medical Association for 70 years.

Dr Facer also spent more than two decades as a school doctor at St Joseph’s College at Hunters Hill.
 
Dr Timothy Harpur, New South Wales
For service to the community of the Northern Beaches.
 
Dr Harpur has worked as a GP and Obstetrician/Gynaecologist at the Dee Why General Practice for more than 50 years, starting in 1975.

He has worked as a GP Clinical Lead since the 1980s as well as being a training supervisor to medical students.

Outside of medicine, Dr Harpur was an Anglicare foster respite carer from 2002–14 and is actively involved in St Faith’s Anglican Church.
 
Dr Helen Roxburgh, South Australia
For service to general practice, particularly in the area of women’s health.
 
Working as a GP since 1989, Dr Roxburgh has been the Practice Principal at Belair Medical since 2008.

She is also being celebrated for her long career with GPEx (formerly GP Partners Australia) where she took on several roles, including GP Advisor in the Obstetric Shared Care Program from 2003–20. 

Dr Roxburgh’s work with the Rural Doctors Workforce Agency has included being an Outreach Provider in women’s health since 2013, as well as a Visiting Healthcare Provider at the Kakarrara Wulkuraka Health Alliance in Yalata and Tullawon.

Her work has included stints at the Royal Adelaide Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre, Flinders University, as well as being a life member of the RACGP.
 
Dr Sean Stevens, Western Australia
For service to general practice medicine.
 
Dr Stevens is being celebrated for his significant contributions to general practice, including serving as RACGP WA Chair from 2018–21 and Inaugural Chair of the Business of General Practice Network from 2016–21. 

He is a GP and practice owner at Grove Medical’s two practices and has previously won the RACGP Faculty Legend Award and GPET Australian GP Supervisor of the Year.

Dr Stevens is also the Co-Founder and Presenter of The Good GP podcast.
 
Dr Abhishek Verma, Victoria
For service to medicine, and to medical administration.
 
Dr Verma is a GP with a long and awarded history working with socioeconomically disadvantaged communities.

He has held several high-level positions within Australia’s healthcare landscape, including currently serving as the Chair of the Victorian Medical Board and the Cosmetic Practice, National Special Issues Committee.

He was a member of the RACGP Victoria Faculty Council and its Expert Committee – Standards for General Practices.

Dr Verma’s long list of roles also include work with Alfred Health, Yea and District Memorial Hospital, Peoplecare Health Insurance, and Edenhope and District Memorial Hospital. He was received the RACGP GP of the Year Award in 2022.
 
Dr Lachlan Warren, South Australia
For service to dermatology.
 
Dr Warren is a former rural GP, working in the role for 14 years from the 1980s.

He is currently a visiting dermatologist at the Women’s and Children’s Hospital Adelaide and was Head of the Dermatology Unit for more than 20 years.

He also spent almost two decades working in clinics in the Royal Darwin and Katherine hospitals.
 
Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the Military Division
Royal Australian Air Force – Wing Commander Alan Ross Turner
For meritorious service in the development of health capability for the Royal Australian Air Force.
 
Wing Commander Turner is being recognised for significantly advancing the Royal Australian Air Force health capability and readiness, joint integration and overall retention of health professionals through inspirational leadership, exceptional personal dedication, and extraordinary acumen.

He is described as the ‘epitome of professionalism’.
 
Conspicuous Service Cross (CSC)
Royal Australian Navy – Commander Scott John Squires RAN
For outstanding devotion to duty in the field of Maritime Operational Health for the Royal Australian Navy.
 
Commander Squires has been honoured for displaying ‘outstanding commitment’ in driving the safety and capability improvement for delivery of health to personnel deployed in the maritime domain.

He is particularly being recognised for his successful demonstration and implementation of a new method for safe management of frozen blood products, which will greatly enhance medical care when Navy ships.
 
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King’s Birthday Order of Australia