RACGP 2023 national awards: The winners in full

Following the state awards earlier this year, the RACGP announced the winners of the overall national awards at a presentation at the WONCA World Conference in Sydney on 25 October.
 
Rose-Hunt Award – Dr Christopher Hughes
This year’s Rose-Hunt award recognises a GP who is unswerving in his commitment to his patients in Tasmania. Dr Hughes is already a life member and was the 2022 GP of the Year for Tasmania, and can now add the college’s very highest accolade to his collection.
 
A supervisor and mentor to many, Dr Hughes also played a major role in ensuring the safety and independence of the Voluntary Assisted Dying legislative process for GPs and patients. 
 
Having worked long-term in an area that has many disadvantaged patients with complex conditions, Dr Hughes has refused to change practices – even though he could have undoubtedly earned more elsewhere – because he did not want his patients to be left without healthcare. He cares deeply for them and his community, supporting patients and their families from cradle to grave. 
 
In addition to his clinical work, Dr Hughes has also worked tirelessly for the RACGP, is a member of the college’s Council of Censors, and works as an examiner.
 
GP of the Year – Dr Richard Draper
Based in Parkes and Forbes in rural NSW for more than 25 years, Dr Draper has worked as a GP proceduralist doing obstetrics, anaesthetics and was a part of the ED roster for 10 years.
 
Known for his breadth of experience across the public, private and Aboriginal health sectors, in both acute and primary health settings, he has impressed with his dedication to the continuity of care for his rural patients. In November 2022, his practice was inundated during floods in NSW, forcing him to relocate – but he continued to serve the community, initially via telehealth from his kitchen bench without a pause.
 
He is also an accredited GP Supervisor and known for his deep commitment to training the next generation of rural doctors.
 
General Practice Supervisor of the Year – Dr Kate Manderson
With a long career in general practice, Dr Manderson is committed to inspiring future generations of GPs through formal training and mentoring.
 
She is known for allowing GPs-in-training to learn through observation, with one mentee describing her as consistently modelling ‘best professional practice and excellence on a daily basis’.
 
‘I am in awe how at every consult she truly listens to her patients and clearly explains diagnoses that allow her patients to understand and/or be reassured,’ they wrote. ‘I trust her advice as it is always up to date and evidence-based.’
 
She is also known for going ‘above and beyond’ when responding to crises in her community, including setting up a clinic in a bushfire evacuation centre in 2019–20.
 
GP in Training of the Year – Dr Corey Dalton
Dr Dalton is an Aboriginal doctor who is incredibly passionate about serving the Aboriginal community.
 
Those who work with him at Derbarl Yerrigan Aboriginal Medical Service describe him as a valuable team member and ‘a wonderful colleague, with a warm, friendly, caring manner’ who provides exceptional care to patients.
 
He has contributed to COVID-19 clinics, the service’s Continuous Quality Improvement group, paediatric specialist clinics, and has also performed prison visits and facilitated the introduction of an ENT specialist clinic in Mirrabooka – and much else besides. 
 
Corlis Medical Educator Award  – Dr Danielle James
This award, which commemorates the late Dr Wilson (Bill) Corlis, recognises a GP who has contributed substantially to the education and mentoring of doctors on any RACGP pathway to Fellowship. 


RACGP award winner Dr Danielle James at the ceremony in Sydney.

Described as ‘an integral part’ of the transition back to college-led training, Dr James has spent more than 20 years supervising GPs in training, and has mentored many new Fellows, as well as experienced GPs, including medical educators.
 
General Practice of the Year – Banksia Medical Centre, Victoria
This family-based general practice, located at two sites across Torquay and Newcomb, has been treating patients in the Geelong and Surf Coast area of regional Victoria for more than 30 years.
 
It has been recognised for its innovative approach to general practice, including setting up the first community-based long COVID clinic. An established training practice, it is also known as one of the most linguistically and culturally diverse clinics in the region.
 
Equipped with charging stations and solar panels, the clinic’s owners are firm advocates of sustainable primary care working towards net-zero emissions.
 
Awards to recognise outstanding GPs working in rural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health were also presented and will be detailed in forthcoming newsGP articles.
 
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GP of the year National RACGP awards Rose-Hunt Award