Newsletter | Issue 4 | 2025
Welcome from the Head of Department
Dear Colleagues,
Welcome to the final edition of the Department of General Practice and Primary Care newsletter for 2025.
It has been another volatile year around the world and most recently tragedy has struck closer to home with the horrific terrorist attacks in Bondi. My heart goes out to all those affected and I join our university and nation in condemning antisemitism, and acts of racial or religious or other types of discrimination and violence. In the face of this and other world events I am reminded of how vital it is to live and to spread the values of tolerance, compassion and respect for our shared humanity and our right to live freely and safely. The bravery of first responders and those helping the injured at Bondi also reassures me of the good in people and what we could achieve if we come together with clarity and commitment to these shared values. I sincerely hope that 2026 brings us healing, peace, equity, and tolerance.
This year I also have cause to celebrate the incredible dedication and talent of the people in our Department; their work aimed at improving lives through better primary care and social relationships. It has been a time of significant achievement, innovative research and personal growth for many.
I would like to celebrate the recent, well-deserved promotions within our Department.
- Associate Professor (Level D): Dr Cath Kaylor-Hughes
- Level C: Dr Javiera Martinez Gutierrez and Dr Sibel Saya
- Level B: Dr Alison Flehr, Dr Sophie Chima and Dr Daniela Ramierez Duran
Applying for promotion is a challenging process and requires hard work and courage to put yourself forward for assessment by senior academic colleagues. Well done to all these individuals for the tremendous effort that went into meeting the required milestones across research, teaching and engagement.
Congratulations also go to Dr Sibel Saya, who received the MDHS Staff Award for Mid-Career Research. Sibel received this award for excellence in her pioneering work on implementing genomics in general practice and her contribution to research, leadership, collaboration and community engagement. Dr Meena Rafiq who was awarded the MMS Publication prize for Discovery Researcher for her work examining primary care activity before a diagnosis of sarcoma.
In this issue of the newsletter, you will also find articles on gestational diabetes, integrative healthcare research, national menopause guidelines, the need to discuss miscarriage risk earlier, red flags for Parkinson’s Disease and a new tool to support GPs in advising patients about breast density and its implications for cancer screening. This last item is a fantastic achievement from Dr Dulashi (Anna) Withanage and the ROBIN project and I encourage you to watch the interview with Anna and A/Prof Justin Tse on ABC News Breakfast.
Following this, I invite you to explore our 2025 Annual Snapshot, which highlights another year of growth, collaboration and impact across our research, teaching and engagement programs. This snapshot celebrates the achievements made possible through the dedication of our staff, students, clinicians and community partners.
We also share the recent Data for Decisions report. In this edition, we take a deeper look at the PARTNER Network to see how they are progressing primary care research in rural practices. We also talk to one of our current PhD students and discover how she utilised Patron data to investigate the diagnosis of paediatric diabetes in general practice, and we share the latest facts and stats from the Patron Program of Research.
Finally, I would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has engaged with the Department throughout the year. From those GPs and GP staff who sign on, year after year, to teach the next generation of doctors, to those giving their time to partner with us and to participate in research. It is your ongoing support and commitment that helps us deliver innovative research outcomes, inform and shape future health policies and inspire our future leaders and clinicians. We appreciate everything you do and look forward working with you again in 2026.
Warm regards,
Lena