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Service award a fitting farewell for Doctor Jon |
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Written by Administrator
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Thursday, 30 November 2006 |
His tireless work on behalf of patients and the rural doctor movement
has seen Maleny doctor, Jon Outridge awarded the Westpac Rural Doctors
Association of Australia (RDAA) Rural Doctor of the Year Award for 2006.
The
award comes on the eve of Jon’s announcement in last week’s Range News
to ‘retire for a period.’ “I haven’t fully recovered my drive,” he
said, referring to serious complications following recent surgery.
“It
was a pretty tough time for my wife Margaret and our children,” Jon
said. “I asked myself, ‘What would they do if I wasn’t around?’ It was
clear that working as hard as I was whilst still recovering was not
fair to them or to myself.”
Honoured to be awarded Rural Doctor
of The Year, Jon and Margaret recently flew to Adelaide to a ceremony
at the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine.
Upon
announcing Jon’s award, RDAA President, Dr Peter Rischbieth said “RDAA
was extremely impressed by the outstanding effort that Jon has made in
working for a strong future for the rural medical workforce and rural
medical services in Queensland.
“He has been heavily involved in
the activities of the Rural Doctors Association of Queensland (RDAQ)
since 2003, including as President. He has also represented RDAQ on
RDAA’s Committee of Management.
“During the period of turmoil
facing Queensland’s health services, Jon gave very generously of his
time and resources to lobby actively for a better deal for Queensland’s
rural doctors, their patients and the hospitals and other healthcare
services that are so essential to the better health of rural
communities. “In all his work, he was focussed on achieving policy
outcomes and measures to increase the number of doctors and other
healthcare professionals in rural Queensland, and to improve access to
healthcare services for rural communities.
Jon admits, “I was
working extremely hard with two full-time jobs, putting in long hours
both in my practice and in my position with RDAQ.”
Working with
then-Minister for Health Gordon Nuttall proved challenging for Jon.
“But our efforts finally paid off as we built good relationships with
the new Minister for Health Steve Robertson who became proactive in
addressing important issues.”
In his speech, Dr Rischbieth
acknowledged Jon for his work in the community. “This award recognises
Jon’s strong commitment to the town of Maleny. As one of the
community’s local doctors, he has provided comprehensive care to his
patients — including emergency care at Maleny Hospital — and has been
highly valued by the community for his advanced medical skills,
dedication, enthusiasm and friendly personality.”
Jon accepted
the award on behalf of his staff and family, “whose love and care,” he
said, “I have received in abundance this year.”
Jon and Margaret
moved to Maleny in 1989 having chosen the town as a great place to
raise kids. “Catherine is 12,” said Jon, adding proudly, “And has
recently won a prestigious poetry prize. Lawrence, our eight-year-old
loves footy … and hitting things with sticks! Hannah, who’s five —
going on 35 — is a dancer.”
Raised in Gympie, Jon’s mother was a
nurse and midwife and his father, a renowned doctor in the area. “Dad
was the only doctor to survive the Japanese torpedoing of the Hospital
Ship Centaur off Caloundra in WWII,” said Jon.
Graduating Medical
School at the University of Queensland in 1984, Jon worked in
Toowoomba, Hobart and at the Royal Brisbane Hospital, “Though I’ve
learnt almost all my medicine from the people on the Range,” he said.
In
last week’s newspaper announcement, Jon states, “I will miss the
interesting work, but especially working with the interesting people of
Maleny. “I’ll miss my patients, not my paperwork,” he adds, “As many of
them have become friends over the past 17 years.”
Always
appreciative of the support of those around him, Jon said “I sincerely
thank the people who have made the surgery the outstanding professional
operation that is has been; Jocelyn, Frances, Donna, Susan, Carol and
Bronwyn have all worked as a great team.
“I’ll possibly do
relief work out west,” he said. “ So I’m not stepping out, just stepping
back. And taking the same good advice that I’d give my clients and
looking after myself and my family.”
If you want to call in to
congratulate Jon on his award and wish him well, Banksia House Medical
Centre will remain open until close of trade on Friday December 15.
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 30 November 2006 )
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Range News 2005 - ON 
