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DR Paul Bauert believes advocacy should be part of a doctor’s role, particularly when it comes to Indigenous health.
Dr Bauert (pictured left), the director of paediatrics at Royal Darwin Hospital, president of the AMA Northern Territory and a member of the federal AMA executive, is one of several doctors who received awards in the Australia Day Honours last week.
He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in recognition of almost 30 years working in Indigenous health in the NT.
Dr Bauert is passionate about the need for government and the community to improve the parlous state of Indigenous health and living conditions.
“People have become so used to the parlous state of Indigenous health that they don’t exert themselves — there is no real sense of urgency from the government or the bureaucracy,” he said.
Yet Dr Bauert says there is nothing more satisfying than working in paediatrics and visiting remote Indigenous communities.
He is involved with AMA efforts to convince governments to embrace the concept of building capacity for Indigenous communities, which involves going beyond health needs to substantially improve living conditions and infrastructure in remote communities.
Dr Bauert would like to see more doctors become involved in advocacy because of their high standing in the community.
“Doctors are highly respected … and advocacy should be an important part of being a doctor,” he said.
AMA president Dr Andrew Pesce describes Dr Bauert as a “straight talker who speaks from the heart, backed by a lifetime of experience working with and helping Australians with the poorest health and living conditions”.
Former AMA president Dr Mukesh Haikerwal was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (OA) for distinguished service to medical administration, promotion of public health through his leadership roles, his work in information technology and as a GP.
Other doctors to receive awards include:
Officer (AO) in the general division of the Order of Australia
Professor Alexander McFarlane: Clinical professor of psychiatry, University of Queensland — for distinguished service to medical research in the field of psychiatry, particularly post-traumatic stress disorders, to veterans’ mental health management, and as an author.
Professor Alastair MacLennan: Professor and head of the Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Adelaide — for distinguished service to medicine as a leading researcher and practitioner in the areas of obstetrics and gynaecology and the causes of cerebral palsy, to medical education and to professional development.
Professor John Prineas: Honorary professor at the Nerve Research Foundation, Department of Medicine, University of Sydney — for distinguished service to medicine in the field of neurology as an academic, researcher and mentor, to improving the lives of people with multiple sclerosis, and to medical education.
Officer (AO) in the military division of the Order of Australia
Major General Paul Alexander: Queensland — for distinguished service to Defence in the field of health and, in particular, as the inaugural Commander Joint Health Command.
Member (AM) in the general division of the Order of Australia
Dr John Collins: Balmain — for service to medicine in the field of paediatric palliative care as a practitioner, academic and researcher, and to professional organisations.
Professor Tony d’Apice: Director of immunology research at St Vincent’s Hospital, Melbourne, and professorial fellow in the Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne — for service to medical research, particularly in the fields of nephrology and immunology, through leadership roles in the development of organ transplantation science, and as an academic and author.
Mr Arthur Day: Former director of Gyaecological Services, Monash Medical Centre — for service to medicine as a gynaecologist and administrator, through contributions to ovarian cancer research, and to medical education.
Dr Bruce Foster: Deputy director of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Women’s and Children’s Hospital, Adelaide — for service to medicine as a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon, to medical research through contributions to the Bone Growth Foundation, and to professional development.
Dr Dominic Frawley: Foundation chairman of HeartKids Australia and former general practitioner in Nowra, NSW — for service to community health, particularly through executive roles with HeartKids Australia, to medicine as a general practitioner, and to the community.
Professor Michael Friedlander: Professor and director of Medical Oncology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney — for service to medicine in the field of oncology, as an academic and practitioner, to medical education and research, and through contributions to national and international cancer organisations.
Clinical Associate Professor Ivan Goldberg: Former president and current member of the World Glaucoma Association, and vice-president of Glaucoma Australia — for service to medicine, particularly in the field of ophthalmology, through national and international glaucoma support organisations, and to education.
Professor George Jerums: Foundation director of the Endocrine Centre of Excellence, Austin Health, and current professorial fellow, University of Melbourne — for service to medicine in the field of endocrinology, particularly the clinical management of patients with diabetes, and through a range of professional organisations.
Professor Andrew Korda: For service to medicine in the fields of obstetrics and gynaecology through clinical, teaching and administrative roles, and to a range of professional organisations.
Dr Mark Loane: Established the Cape York Eye Health Project and currently an ophthalmic surgeon at the Vision Eye Institute, Queensland — for service to medicine in the field of ophthalmology, particularly to the Indigenous communities of northern Queensland, and as a contributor to the development of sustainable health services.
Professor Louise Newman: Director of the Monash University Centre for Developmental Psychiatry and Psychology — for service to medicine in the fields of perinatal, child and adolescent mental health, to education, and as an advocate for refugees and asylum seekers.
Professor Ian Olver: Chief executive officer of Cancer Council Australia and clinical professor of cancer care at the Department of Medicine, University of Sydney — for service to medical oncology as a clinician, researcher, administrator and mentor, and to the community through leadership roles with cancer control organisations.
Professor William Rawlinson: Director of virology and senior medical virologist, Virology Division, Department of Microbiology, South Eastern Area and Illawarra Health Service, and conjoint professor, School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales — for service to the medical sciences as a clinician, educator and researcher in the disciplines of virology and pathology.
Dr Charles Roe: Vice-president of the AMA (Qld) and assistant professor of urology in the Faculty of Medicine, Bond University — for service to medicine, particularly through contributions to the Australian Medical Association Queensland, and to the community.
Professor Hatem Salem: Director of clinical haematology at the Alfred Hospital and co-head of the Central Clinical School of Medicine, Alfred Hospital/Monash University — for service to medicine in the field of haematology as a clinician, educator and researcher and through the establishment of the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases.
Professor Roger Strasser: Former head of the School of Rural Health, Monash University, established the Victorian Advanced Training for General Practice Program and currently Dean of the Northern Ontario School of Medicine, Laurentian University and Lakehead University, Canada — for service to medicine through improving the health care for people living in rural and remote communities in developed and developing nations as an educator, researcher and practitioner.
Dr Charles Teo: Director of the Centre for Minimally Invasive Neurosurgery, Prince of Wales Hospital, Sydney, and chairman of the Prince of Wales Private Hospital — for service to medicine as a neurosurgeon through the introduction of minimally invasive techniques, as a researcher, educator and mentor, and through the establishment of the Cure for Life Foundation.
Dr Walter Thompson: Former president of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists — for service to medicine as a clinician in anaesthesia and intensive care, through contributions to the development of an educational framework, and through executive roles within professional organisations.
Member (AM) in the military division of the Order of Australia
Rear Admiral Graeme Shirtley: Surgeon General Australian Defence Force — for exceptional performance of duties as a medical officer in the Royal Australian Navy Reserve.
Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the general division
Professor David Copolov: Deputy chair of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, director of the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation and professor in the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne — for service to medical research, to professional organisations, and to higher education.
Professor Ben Freedman: Deputy dean in the Faculty of Medicine, University of Sydney, and university chair of cardiology at Concord Hospital, Sydney — for service to medicine as a clinician, educator and researcher.
Dr Millicent Hughes: Former head of department of Nuclear Medicine, Royal Adelaide Hospital and acting general secretary of the National Council of Women of South Australia — for service to the community through a range of women’s, service and sporting organisations.
Dr Bernard Huxtable: Consultant cardiac physician and consultant emeritus at Orange Base Hospital, NSW — for service to medicine, and to the community of Orange through a range of disability, service and arts organisations.
Dr John Pickering: General practitioner in Dimboola, Victoria — for service to medicine, particularly in rural and regional areas, and to the Indigenous community.
Dr Michael Ridley: General practitioner in Coffs Harbour, NSW — for service to medicine as a general practitioner, and to the community of Coffs Harbour.
Dr John Oswald: Deputy director of anaesthesia at Ballarat Base Hospital, Victoria — for service to medicine as an anaesthetist, and to the community.
Dr Rosalie Shaw: Former executive director of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network — for service to medicine, particularly through the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network.
Dr Stephen Shumack: Visiting medical officer, Dermatology Department, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney — for service to medicine in the field of dermatology, and to the community.
Dr Laurence Simpson: Deputy president of the Committee of Convocation, and Medical Faculty representative, University of Melbourne — for service to medicine as a clinician and educator.
Professor Gregory Snell: Head of Lung Transplant Service, Department of Allergy, Immunology and Respiratory Medicine, Alfred Hospital/Monash University — for service to medicine in the field of respiratory science, to education, and to professional organisations.
Dr Francis Sullivan: Visiting ophthalmologist at Royal Brisbane Hospital and Princess Alexandra Hospital — for service to medicine in the field of ophthalmology.
Dr Ramaswamy Thangavelu: General practitioner in Crookwell, NSW — for service to the community of Crookwell, and as a medical practitioner.
Associate Professor Marianne Vonau: Executive director of Critical Care and Clinical Support Services, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, director of Paediatric Neurosurgery, Royal Children’s Hospital, Brisbane, and associate professor in the School of Medicine, University of Queensland — for service to medicine in the field of neurosurgery as a clinician, educator and mentor.
Public Service Medal (PSM)
Professor David Johnson: For outstanding public service to Queensland Health, particularly to research into the early detection and managements of chronic kidney disease.
Posted 31 January 2011