The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) has named Dr Pat Giddings of Albury New South Wales, the winner of the RACGP’s top rural accolade, the Brian Williams Award.
Presenting the award on the eve of the GP16 conference in Perth, RACGP president, Dr Frank R Jones, said Dr Giddings was a very worthy recipient of the award.
“Dr Giddings strives to meet the needs of the Albury community working in private general practice and delivering healthcare at the local Aboriginal medical service.
“He also provides obstetric services to the Albury hospital and is involved in emergency medicine as part of the team at Albury hospital,” Dr Jones said.
Dr Giddings was the founding CEO and Director of Training for the Remote Vocational Training Scheme where he took the program from an idea, to a pilot and then to a successful training scheme that has been ongoing for more than 10 years.
“The great thing about Pat is that he fully understands rural communities and the type of care needed to address their needs, and he continues to advocate for better access to top-quality medical services for everyone in rural Australia.
“He also understands about the need to support the families of rural general practitioners in training providing opportunities for family networking and sharing common experiences during registrar training days,” Dr Jones said.
Dr Brian Williams was a rural GP and medical educator and staunch advocate for rural general practice and education at all levels. The award is made each year to a member who has made a significant contribution to the personal and professional welfare of rural doctors.
GP16 – the RACGP’s annual conference for general practice – runs from September 29 - October 1 2016 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Visit the GP16 website for more information.