Articles

PHMO

Public Health Medical Officers (PHMO)

What we do: The 2 PHMOs provide guidance, advice, and support on a wide range of primary health care and public health issues on local, state and national level to AMSANT members, Board, staff and other stakeholders. We also coordinate the Public Health Network as an information sharing mechanism. PHN members consist of primary health care clinicians, researchers and other staff (both government and non-government) who work in the Aboriginal primary health care sector in the Northern Territory.

PHMO Team: Contacts and Stories


Public Health Medical Officer (Top End)


Dr Natasha Pavlin
Ph: (08) 8944 6633
 

I grew up in Brisbane and studied Medicine at University of Queensland. By the time I was half way through my medical degree I had been seduced by the delights of rural medicine and completed my studies and junior doctor time across rural/regional Queensland and NSW, subsequently moving to western Victoria to train in General Practice.

I have strong interests in rural and remote health, sexual health, medical education, academic general practice/primary health care and research. My clinical and nonclinical work has included the Aboriginal Community Controlled Sector as well as the environments of mainstream General Practice, rural hospitals, Universities, Divisions of General Practice and Regional Training Providers.

For the last 10 years I lived in the tiny town of Natimuk (pop 450) in Western Victoria, but as my mother moved to Darwin at about the same time I have been visiting the Top End regularly for about that long and began to base myself here in 2009.

As well as AMSANT PHMO I am also involved in teaching medical students at the Northern Territory Medical Program, medical education work with NTGPE and am the Northern Territory Rep on the Australian Association for Academic Primary Care (AAAPC). I continue to do the occasional clinical locum and am hoping to build in more regular clinical work in 2012.

[back to top]



Public Health Medical Officer (Central Australia)


Dr Liz Moore
Ph: (08) 8953 3551
 

I am the public health medical officer at AMSANT based in Alice Springs and have worked in my current position for 3.5 years. I graduated in Tasmania to long ago and have worked in general practice for over 10 years. I worked in a large community controlled health service in Melbourne and have also worked in community health centres in Victoria. I have done some limited work in ACCHSs in the NT. I am also a public health physician after completing a public health training scheme in Victoria. My interests ( apart from Aboriginal health) include alcohol and other drug services in primary health care, integration of public health and primary health care , women's health and research in primary health care.

[back to top]

Clinical Psychologist - Alcohol and Other Drugs Clinical Support/Supervision
Sarah Haythornthwaite
PH: (08) 8944 6666

I’m a Clinical Psychologist by training and I’m from Fremantle in WA. My role here at AMSANT involves, the coordination and provision of clinical support to the Alcohol and Other Drubs (AOD) program area throughout the Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs). Prior to this role, I’ve worked in a variety of roles in Perth, in Broome and, in 2009, I worked at the Social and Emotional Well-Being (SEWB) service of Wurli Wurlinjang Health Service.

[back to top]



Clinical Liaison Officer/Support Officer


Vicki Gordon
Ph: (08) 8953 3551
 


I am originally from Otago, New Zealand where most of my family remain and have been in the NT for over 22 years.
I’ve worked as a Remote Area Nurse for 17-18 years in Central Australia and the Top End mainly in four communities with a wee bit of work in the Kimberley.

From mid ’07 to mid ’10 I worked with the Council of Remote Area Nurses of Australia (CRANA) coordinating the orientation for the 500 or so people who came to the NT as part of the Child Health Check teams. This was followed by a period in the areas of as clinician support/mentoring/orientation.I completed the Master of Remote Heath Practice in ’06 and last year converted that to MRHP- Nurse Practitioner.

I am passionate about appropriate orientation and education for remote health practitioners and others as it absolutely relates to retention and quality and continuity of care for and with the remote community members.

 [back to top]


PHMO Administration Support Officer


Jodie Gundersen
Ph: (08) 8944 6657

 

Hello, my name is Jodie Gundersen; I am the PHMO Administration Officer in the Darwin Office. I will be providing administrative support to the PHMO and CQI Teams.

[back to top]