Healthy North Coast hosted the 2025 Primary Care Excellence Awards on Tuesday at Pacific Bay Resort, Coffs Harbour. The event brought together 175 primary health care professionals and sector partners to recognise the outstanding achievements and contributions of individuals and teams delivering exemplary primary health care in our community. This was the first Awards ceremony held since 2017.

The program received 57 nominations across nine categories, reflecting the depth of commitment and expertise within the North Coast primary care workforce. The event also included a tribute to the late Dr Michael Davis, a respected GP from Alstonville Clinic, acknowledging his significant contribution to general practice and community health.

Locally, Tracey Harris from the Lismore Super Clinic was awarded Excellence in Practice Management, and Human nature Adventure Therapy in Ballina was awarded Excellence in Mental Health Delivery.

Healthy North Coast CEO Monika Wheeler said the awards highlight the dedication of the local primary care workforce:

“These awards recognise the exceptional care being delivered by GPs, nurses, pharmacists, mental health and allied health professionals every day across our region.

“The nominees and recipients demonstrate the innovation, collaboration and commitment that underpin high-quality care on the North Coast. Healthy North Coast is proud to acknowledge their achievements and the positive impact they have on our communities.

“By celebrating outstanding achievements, we also help to inspire and retain our talented workforce that is so essential to the future of our communities.”

List of 2025 Award recipients:

• Emerging Leader: Dr Grace Gillon (GP Registrar), Bullinah AMS: Recognised for trauma-informed, culturally safe care and mentoring, enhancing outcomes and trust.
• Excellence in Practice Management: Tracey Harris, Lismore GP Super Clinic / Lismore Urgent Care Clinic: Established Lismore’s Urgent Care Clinic, integrated mental health, and introduced AI tools to improve efficiency and outcomes.
• Excellence in Allied Health Achievement: Trent Renshaw, Coffs Coast Sports Physiotherapy: Pioneered male-focused oncology rehab and pelvic health, reducing barriers and improving survivorship outcomes.
• Pharmaceutical Society of Australia Innovation in Pharmacy: James Yoo, Plunkett’s TerryWhite Chemmart Port Macquarie: Recognised for pioneering full scope pharmacy services on the North Coast, advancing clinical care and integrating pharmacy into collaborative, patient-centred health models.
• Excellence in Nursing Achievement (sponsored by Larter): Amanda Moss, Maclean Medical: Embedded nurse-led pathways and Advance Care Planning, enhancing access and team-based rural care.
• The Dr Michael Davis Award for Excellence in General Practice Leadership: Dr Monica Taylor, Bullinah AMS: Embedded CQI and cultural safety at Bullinah, improving chronic disease and maternal care outcomes.
• Excellence in Mental Health Delivery: Human Nature Adventure Therapy, Ballina: Provided nature-based care for adolescents, improving resilience and engagement among vulnerable groups.
• Excellence in Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Health: Nicole Dein, Bullinah AMS: Created a culturally responsive NDIS model, improving access and mentoring Aboriginal staff.
• Excellence in Innovation: Maclean Medical: Created nurse-led Access Health Clinic, delivering thousands of low-cost, same-day appointments.

Dr Monica Taylor, who won the Dr Michael Davis Award for Excellence in General Practice Leadership, was quick to thank her team:

“We’ve developed a CQI [continuous quality improvement] program, which is embedded into GP workflow, which has now become a standard of care. It helps us look at what we’re doing and how we can do it better.

“I feel very lucky. I have an excellent team, so I feel like that makes my job very easy. And to be given an award named after Mike [Davis] is very, very humbling.”

Haley Hodgson, owner of Maclean Medical, was also thrilled to accept the award for Excellence in Innovation:

“We’ve created a space where the public can come in and have same-day access to care, at affordable prices. It’s something that’s sustainable, we can duplicate it, and we can change how the primary health system works in Australia.

“This award amplifies what we’re doing and reinforces that we’re doing the right thing for the community. It’s very exciting for us.”

A number of North Coast primary health professionals were also recognised for their service:

• Chris Clark – Registered Nurse, Evans Head Medical Centre – 20+ years of service
• Judi Bray – Psychologist, Grafton – 25+ years of service
• Dr Jay Ruthnam – General Practitioner, Northside Health Centre – 40+ years of service
• Dr Warwick Wickham – Founder Eastport Medical Centre – 40+ years of service

For more information on the awards, including the finalists and recipients, keep your eye on hnc.org.au/primary-health-care-excellence-awards-2025.