GP Stories

Dr B.G.

 

Dr B.G. has been practicing in the Hunter Region for over a decade specialising in Paediatrics, Family Planning and Women’s Health. She is passionate about working to improve the physical and mental health of the community both one-on-one as well as through systematic improvements & innovation. She is on the Board of the local Primary Health Network, a GP Advisor to Agency for Clinical Innovation & is also a NSW/ACT RACGP Board Member. 

 

As a family focussed practitioner the more common mental health conditions she sees include depression, anxiety, bipolar 2, PTSD and eating disorders. Dr B.G. has estimated that those requiring mental health aid would make up about 20% of the patients she is currently treating. Over the last 12 months, Dr B.G. has engaged the service 5 times and plans to continue using it for as long as it remains available to her.

 

When asked for her thoughts regarding the GP Psychiatry Support Line she expressed a high level of gratitude stating, “It benefits me & my patients in that it gives me the confidence to continue care & make medications changes at a time when the patients need it rather than having a lengthy wait for a psychiatrist. With psychiatrists being such a scarce commodity I think its also an efficient use of resources. I’d love to see the service continued.”

 

Dr P.C.

 

In 1985, Dr P.C. graduated from the University of Sydney and has since practiced in both New Zealand and Australia as a GP. Her areas of interest include women’s health, children’s health, antenatal shared care, aged and preventative care. She also holds a Fellowship with the Royal College of General Practitioners and currently practices in South Eastern NSW. 

 

Dr P.C. has become ever more concerned with the state of mental health treatments and options available with 30-40% of her patients requiring some form of mental health support. Presenting symptoms often include depression, anxiety and workplace stress, as well as an increasing number of patients suffering from bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

 

The GP Psychiatry Support Line has offered advice to Dr P.C. on 5 occasions over the last 12 months, instilling confidence in her treatment pathways. 

 

Dr P.C. has described the service as being “Very helpful for things out of the ordinary” and for “Discussing who and where to refer to, medications, etc. Please continue the support line help.” 

 

DR B.Q.

 

After graduating from Mosul University, Iraq in 2008, Dr B.Q. moved to Australia where he now practices in rural NSW. 

 

Dr B.Q. treats a high number of sufferers of depression, stress and anxiety disorders, typical of patients living in more rural areas. On a daily basis, he will treat 1-2 patients helping them with mental health plans and management strategies. Once a week he also works in partnership with a mental health nurse to review additional patients suffering from psychological conditions. He actively seeks out information and education from the psychiatric community, but his time is often too limited to undergo external courses.

 

As a GP who spends much of his time working with mental health cases, Dr B.Q. has found the GP Support Line a highly beneficial service thus far accessing it 10 times over the last 12 months. 

 

Dr B.Q. has reported back to us that the service is “Very helpful” adding that our psychiatrists are “Excellent doctors and quite nice on the phone!” 

 

Dr H.W.

Fellow of the Australian College of GPs, Dr H.W. is both a general practitioner and a teacher at the School of Medicine at the University of Notre Dame. After graduating from the University of NSW she began practicing in rural areas of Australia and eventually abroad in the UK. During this time she became increasingly interested in areas such as emergency medicine as well as psychiatry. 

 

Once returning to Australia Dr H.W moved to metropolitan NSW in the Central and Eastern Sydney PHN Catchment Area. She would soon go on to combine her passion for psychiatry with her interests in women’s health and palliative care. At least half of the patients she now treats require some form of mental health assistance with many suffering from anxiety disorders, depression and BPAD. 

 

Dr H.W. has used the service a total of 9 times over the last 12 months and appreciates the value and efficiency that it offers her patients who so often require the benefits of the psychological and pharmaceutical advice. 

 

When asked why she engages with the service she explained that she does so, “When patients cannot afford to see a psychiatrist and also when the waiting times are excessive (nearly always the case for good psychiatrists).“ She also added, “ I’d like to see the program continued. Keep up the great service! I’d love to see it extended to all disciplines.” 

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