Canberra doctor wins national award for excellence in health care
Canberra doctor Peter Sharp has received the prestigious AMA Excellence in Health Care Award for his work as medical director of Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health Service.
Dr Sharp received the award from AMA President, Dr Rosanna Capolingua, in a ceremony at the AMA National Conference in last night.
“Peter’s work at Winnunga is truly inspirational,” Dr Capolingua said.
“Under Peter’s leadership, the once common problem of Hepatitis B infections among the services’ clients has all but disappeared, childhood immunization rates are up and birth weights have increased.
“He visits Indigenous people in prison and works with Aboriginal people affected by alcohol and intravenous drug use. He also runs a weekly clinic at a local primary school and is a councillor of the AMA ACT.”
Dr Sharp has been working at Winnunga for 20 years.
When the service started it had one doctor, two health workers and a receptionist crammed into a three-room facility surrounded by barbed wire in central Canberra.
It is now located in the suburb of Narrabundah in a facility where doctors and other health professionals work together to provide a comprehensive range of health services.
Dr Sharp won the ACT Local Hero award in 2008.
31 May 2009
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