GP family celebrates recognition of rural care

Ever since sleeping under the desk of her parent’s general practice as a newborn in 1982, Dr Caroline Mooney has been embedded in the family business.
 
From helping her dad in the 1990s on weekends finding patients’ files and developing X-rays, she is now a partner in the business.
 
And a few days ago, she was recognised alongside her parents for their decades of commitment to caring for their rural Tasmanian community.
 
Caroline joined her father Dr Tim Mooney in being awarded Rural Generalist (RG) Fellowship at the RACGP’s Tasmania ceremony on 11 October in Hobart, on Muwinina and Palawa Country.
 
Tim and his wife Dr Louise Phillips also received Life Membership of the college together.
 
The father and daughter were among five GPs awarded RG Fellowship, alongside 20 New Fellows of the college.
 
‘Rural GPs are a pretty special breed of GP,’ Caroline told newsGP.
 
‘I’m pleased that we are able to be formally recognised for the Rural Generalists we are.
 
‘I love the variety our rural practice provides, we get to be involved in all aspects of care for our patients and their families. Being able to provide pre-cradle to post-grave care, and to palliate patients and support loved ones as they transition to next chapters is very rewarding.
 
‘I enjoy being able to manage our patients who need inpatient care in our district hospital, avoiding the need to block another bed at the Launceston General Hospital, as well as the hands-on teaching, and hope I can encourage some students and registrars to consider rural general practice as a vocation.’
 
A Fellow of the college since 2016, Caroline completed her training in rural Western Australia and the Northern Territory before ‘finally coming home’ to Tasmania, after having worked in many sites around rural Australia as well as Antarctica.
 
Her parents Tim and Louise started their family practice, George Town Medical Centre, in regional northern Tasmania in 1982, where Tim still practises full time and is practice principal alongside his daughter.
 
‘I love the variety it brings, and the continuity of care I bring to my patients and community,’ Tim told newsGP.
 
‘I love teaching, and the ability to do GP-based procedural work.’
 
Together with wife Louise, as two of the four Life Members awarded in their state, they are grateful of the recognition of a life served to medicine. 
 
‘The Life Membership is recognition of a long time with the RACGP which is appreciated,’ Tim said.
 
‘It’s a recognition of what we do in rural areas, and may allow benefits with the Tasmanian Health Service in our local district hospital. I’ll have to put off retirement for a bit now so I can use the RG Fellowship.’

The Mooney–Phillips family celebrating Tim (centre) serving 40 years at George Town Medical Centre in 2022. (Image supplied)
 
For Louise, a practising GP from 1982 to 2005 before medically retiring, she remains passionate about the rewards a career in general practice allowed her, while also recognising some of the evolving challenges.
 
‘I loved that every day was different and the mere fact you help someone, providing non-judgemental time and support to people when they’re most vulnerable,’ she told newsGP.
 
‘I loved working alongside Tim, and found the ability to share brainpower and skills highly rewarding. I’ve been retired some time now and he still rings for advice on women’s health.
 
‘[But] medicine is very different in 2025 compared to when I was practising. I see Tim particularly spending much time late into the night doing unpaid paperwork and checking results which is non-sustainable for future practitioners.’
 
Tim adds that the ongoing challenge of finding and maintaining adequate workforce and practice succession is ‘our greatest challenge’ as GPs.
 
But running a family business remains one of things the Mooney–Phillips cherish the most, with Tim and Louise working alongside one another for decades and still owning ‘the bricks and mortar’ with previous business partners and now their daughter.
 
‘It’s fantastic, as I worked alongside my main support, my wife, and now get to work alongside my daughter,’ Tim says.
 
Caroline agrees, describing their situation as ‘the definition’ of a family business.
 
‘It’s great working alongside my dad, he’s by far the greatest doctor I’ve ever worked for and alongside,’ she said.
 
‘I have worked in practices all over the country, and still think this is the best I’ve been exposed to, largely because of the teaching and support dad provides.
 
‘Lots of patients remark, “I used to see your mum, then I saw your dad, now I’m seeing you – that’s pretty special”.
 
‘And I have to agree.’ 
 
The Tasmania Fellowship ceremony also recognised the 10 state award winners which now go in the running for the RACGP’s National Awards announced at GP25 in November.
 
Log in below to join the conversation.

Life Membership New Fellows RACGP Fellowship rural general practice Rural Generalists Tasmanian GPs