Memo to self: Must do more

Kaitaia GP Dr Lance O'Sullivan added another title - that of New Zealand's Public Health Champion - to his CV last week, but he doesn't plan to rest on his laurels.

The latest award won't be cluttering his mantelpiece. Rather it would hang on a wall in his clinic, where it would serve as a constant challenge to do more.

The award was presented at the Public Health Association conference in New Plymouth last week in recognition of his "dedicated and courageous efforts" to address poverty-related illnesses in the Far North.

Dr O'Sullivan said he was humbled and "blown away," especially considering the high calibre of past winners.

"It's such a privilege to be recognised as having contributed to public health," he said.

"As a GP I have the opportunity to work on a personal level with people, but so many GPs aren't aware of the potential they have to impact the health of the entire population."

As well as being proud to accept the award, he was pleased that it would highlight the issues of poverty and ill health affecting Far North communities. Preventable diseases, such as rheumatic fever and skin infections, were rife, and too little was being done in terms of treatment and prevention.

He was also pleased the award would bring positive publicity to Kaitaia.

Dr O'Sullivan and his wife Tracey opened their own clinic at Kaitaia Hospital last year after a parting of the ways with Te Hauora o Te Hiku o Te Ika, where he had been employed. He was also instrumental in launching the MOKO programme, which now routinely screens and treats more than 2000 children at 14 Far North schools for rheumatic fever.

It has a good year for the 41-year-old doctor. Accolades include the title of Maori of the Year, both in the health category and overall, and a Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award.

"For me, it's not about the awards or the recognition. My highlight has been seeing the great results and positive outcomes from the work we've been doing," he said however.

"It's been seeing the health of entire communities improving. That's what makes me really chuffed."

His latest project is an iPad app to help diagnose and treat skin infections, which he hopes will reach previously unreachable patients.

Dr O'Sullivan may need additional hours in the day if he is to do more. He saw his last patient at noon on Wednesday, drove to Kerikeri for the flight to New Plymouth, arrived half an hour before the presentation, flew home again and was back in his clinic on Thursday morning.