Dr Michael Crampton (page C1) wasn’t the only general practitioner from Sydney’s west honoured at the recent Royal Australian College of General Practitioners’ annual conference in Adelaide.
General Practice of the Year was awarded to the Riverstone Family Medical Practice in the north-west of the city.
The award recognised the contribution of the practice and its staff, led by practice principal Dr Michelle Crockett, to improving patient care, and their participation in programs such as eHealth and Health Pathways that improve the quality and accessibility of services.
Dr Crockett also works as a clinical head for Western Sydney Health Pathways, a joint project between WentWest and the Western Sydney Local Health District to improve patient care and management across the region.
“This is a wonderful recognition of the hard work and dedication of the team at Riverstone Family Medical Practice”, Dr Crockett says.
Also honoured was Aboriginal Medical Services Western Sydney, which won the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Team award for their innovative program for managing chronic disease.
GP Supervisor of the Year was awarded to Dr Linda Mann (profiled in MJA Careers 2014; 200: C4), from Sydney’s inner west.
Dr Sarah Beck was named the GP Registrar of the Year, Dr Sam Gubiac was awarded the Rural Registrar of the Year, and Michelle Seckingham was given the Student Bursary award.
Four academic awards were also given at the conference.
The most prestigious, the Rose-Hunt Award, is given to a College Fellow or Member who “has rendered outstanding service in the promotion of the objects of the College, either by individual patient care, organisation, education, research or any other means”.
This year it was awarded to Professor Michael Kidd, executive dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at Flinders University in Adelaide. Professor Kidd is a GP and President of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA).
The Brian Williams Award, given to “medical practitioners whose guidance and support enables rural GPs to safely dedicate themselves to their patients, their families and their communities”, went to Dr Barbara Jones, a GP in Townsville, Queensland.
The Alan Chancellor Award, presented each year to “the GP or GP registrar considered to be the best first time presenter of a research paper at the RACGP annual conference”, was given to Dr Pam Douglas, who focuses on babies in their first year and their mothers.
The Peter Mudge Medal, awarded to a presenter at the conference who has “advanced the discipline of general practice and the goals of the College and whose original research has the most potential to significantly influence daily general practice”, was given to Dr Alan Leeb from the Illawarra Medical Centre in New South Wales.
- Cate Swannell