What made you want to be a GP?

I always wanted to help people of all ages. I like getting to know people, having a rapport with them and building good relationships. I always thought being a GP would be more flexible with a better work/life balance than it has been at many places I’ve worked. I still want time to enjoy the family life which makes me so glad I chose HCA.

So why did you choose HCA?

I was already familiar with Roodlane where HCA is based. Some people I knew from before I moved to Australia still worked here. And I knew how well run and managed HCA is and how I’d get to share work with other GPs in the team. It’s a really supportive environment which allows for flexible working – different shift patterns keep things fresh. You can even work on different sites which is fun, and there’s a variety of medicine to work on too. I’ve really enjoyed being back.

What does a typical day look like for you?

It’s pretty much non-stop! In the mornings I’ll do GP consultations and in the afternoons it’s screening medicals. The 15-minute GP appointments give you enough time to build a rapport with patients and discuss all the issues and options. There’s flexibility for me to do some sessions from home too which fits in well with my family commitments. I can do school drop-offs and pick-ups, and still get a good balance between online appointments and seeing patients face to face.

What are the biggest challenges of your role?

There’s plenty of paperwork and referrals to stay on top of, but that doesn’t stop me finishing on time and getting home to see my family. The working day is intense, but beyond that I enjoy a good work/life balance.

Sometimes you need to manage patients’ expectations and work with them to plan the next steps. Occasionally, we get requests for things which may not be clinically appropriate and these need to managed. But overall, patient satisfaction is very high.