RACGP Rural celebrates excellence at GP22

Four RACGP members have been recognised for their outstanding contribution to rural and remote general practice.
 
The awards were presented on Sunday 27 November at GP22, with Dr Margaret Garde receiving the coveted Brian Williams Award for her significant contribution to rural medical education, as well as the Portland and Heywood communities across Victoria.
 
The award is RACGP Rural’s highest accolade, and is named for the late Dr Brian Williams, a staunch advocate for rural general practice and the need for rural GPs to provide support to their peers.
 
Dr Garde has been heavily involved in general practice training for 20 years, including supervising GPs in training and international medical graduates, and taking on senior roles at Deakin University and in rural general practice training programs.
 
She is also the Clinical Director at Active Health Portland and has worked across the full scope of general practice, including family planning, Aboriginal health, public health, forensic medicine, adolescent health, occupational health and mental health.
 
Dr Garde said she feels privileged to witness the impact of consistent and accessible primary care on her patients’ health. 
 
‘Rural general practice and community are inextricably related. It is so important to be there to help my community when they most need it,’ she said.
 
‘I’ve also been privileged to support medical students, interns and GPs in training, as well as our new GPs in their careers. It is immensely gratifying to see them grow in their chosen specialty, stay in the community and have the community support them.
 
‘Rural GPs are connected to their patients in a way that breaks down barriers to healthcare access and supports patients as individuals.
 
‘I’ve found sharing that experience with doctors and students around Portland rewarding not only personally, but also in the knowledge that the community will see future generations of like-minded GPs replace me in the years to come.’
 
The next recipient, Dr Kieran Webb-Sawyer, received his award for being the Rural GP in Training of the Year.
 
Based in Lithgow, NSW, Dr Webb-Sawyer has been recognised for his work to increase access to paediatrics training in his region, which he saw as a way to respond to his community’s needs while developing his own skills and knowledge.
 
‘As rural GPs, we are deeply embedded in our communities and come into contact with its needs daily in our work,’ he said.
 
‘This gives us precious practical experience of our patient and community context and gaps in essential service areas that occur outside capital cities.
 
‘However, we can’t be aware of or notice everything, so it is really important to keep an open and ongoing discussion with the community about what the needs are, what is changing and how these could be met.’
 
Another prospective GP close to the start of their medical journey, University of New England Doctor of Medicine student Jared Lawrence, received the Medical Student Bursary Award for his essay on his experience at a general practice placement at Coonabarabran, NSW.
 
Mr Lawrence said his time in Coonabarabran showed him the benefits of placement in rural general practice and provided excellent opportunities to grow his confidence and skills following the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruptions to his medical training.
 
‘My experiences growing up on a beef property in Singleton, NSW, and working and taking a placement in Coonabarabran gave me an understanding of issues faced by rural communities and motivates me to continue my medicine journey into rural general practice,’ he said.
 
‘Being able to attend the college’s annual conference and meet RACGP Rural members is an incredible opportunity and I look forward to strengthening the relationship between the RACGP and students at the University of New England.’
 
Finally, Dr Matthew Poole received the Community Project of the Year Award for his efforts to improve screening for and treatment of anaemia among Aboriginal children in Perth, conducted at the Derbarl Yerrigan Health Service.
 
Dr Poole consulted with a range of community and medical stakeholders to understand barriers to screening and how these might be addressed. Following a presentation to practitioners and a change to medical software, the annualised screening rate for children aged between nine months and five years increased from 10% to 27%. 
 
RACGP Rural Chair Associate Professor Michael Clements said the awards showed the importance of GPs working with their communities and the rewarding nature of general practice in rural and remote areas.
 
‘Dr Margaret Garde’s award comes as recognition for many years’ excellent service to her community and the profession, particularly through medical education,’ he said.
 
‘Dr Garde has provided mentorship and supervision to more than a generation of medical students and [GPs in training] and has been instrumental in developing pathways for rural medical practice in her region and beyond.
 
‘With her leadership, a supportive medical community has developed in Portland that has been transformative for the rural training experience students’ decisions to train and work in the region.
 
‘[Meanwhile], Dr Kieran Webb-Sawyer, Dr Matthew Poole and Jared Lawrence are all wonderful examples of the value of a GP understanding their community’s specific needs and working with community members to address them effectively.
 
‘Congratulations to all our RACGP Rural Award winners.’
 
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