News
‘Best profession in the world’: RACGP award winners
Dr Bruce Willett has won the prestigious Rose-Hunt Award – one of 19 winners recognised for their work in general practice, rural health, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health.
RACGP Chair Dr Lara Roeske, Rose-Hunt Award winner Dr Bruce Willett, and RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins at the RACGP Awards ceremony in Perth.
Queensland GP Dr Bruce Willett has received the Rose-Hunt Award, the RACGP’s highest accolade, at an awards ceremony in Perth on Wednesday evening.
The former RACGP Vice President and Queensland Chair was among 19 award winners celebrated on the eve of the GP24 national conference.
The RACGP Awards ceremony’s accolades also included the National GP and General Practice of the Year, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Awards, and the RACGP Rural Awards.
A prominent educator and advocate, Dr Willett was lauded for his significant contribution to general practice.
He was a key part of the RACGP’s leadership at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and more recently has successfully galvanised opposition to proposed payroll tax changes affecting general practice.
‘I am thrilled to receive the Rose-Hunt Award,’ Dr Willett 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.
‘It’s been a privilege to work hard to support general practice, the best profession in the world.’
GP of the Year
The National GP of the Year award went to Victorian Dr Patrick Kinsella, who practises near Lakes Entrance and is seen as a backbone of the Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust health service.
Describing general practice as ‘a wonderful career’, Dr Kinsella has practised in both urban and rural settings.
He said he finds work in more remote areas much more professionally satisfying and has proactively tried to attract more GPs to his local area.
‘I am very honoured to receive this but also very humbled because I know many excellent GPs who I feel are equally or more deserving of it,’ Dr Kinsella said.
Standing Strong Award
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Standing Strong Award winner, Dr Valerie Quah was praised for her meaningful and dedicated work with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community in Alice Springs.
In particular, she was celebrated for 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 general practice registrar terms here.
‘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.’
General Practice Supervisor of the Year
This year’s General Practice Supervisor of the Year is Dr Meike Flore.
As a GP in rural New South Wales raising four children while establishing her own practice, Dr Flore is known for her compassionate ‘cradle to 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,’ Dr Flore said.
‘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.’
Winners in full:
- 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 – Honorary Fellowship
- Dr Angelina Salamone – Life Fellowship
- Dr Rochelle Sleaby – Professor 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 and Torres Strait Islander Health Standing Strong Award
- Dr Rebecca Alvarez – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Growing Strong Award
- Ms Talisha Mason – Aboriginal and 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
RACGP President Dr Nicole Higgins congratulated the winners.
‘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.’
More detailed articles recognising outstanding GPs working in rural and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health will be detailed in forthcoming newsGP
stories.
Log in below to join the conversation.
GP of the Year RACGP awards Rose-Hunt Awards
newsGP weekly poll
Should the definition of obesity be changed to ‘go beyond BMI’ and add extra diagnostic methods?