Rural Doctors Association of Tasmania (RDAT)

We are a member organisation representing the interests of rural doctors in Tasmania and working hard to ensure equitable access to quality and safe medical services for our rural communities.  Our challenges are unique from the mainland, and it is important to ensure that rural issues are front and centre of policy development in Tasmania.  Our work is supported by the team in RDAA and the work they do at a national level.

PRESIDENT

Dr Ben Dodds

Ben grew up in north-west Tasmania and graduated in Medicine from the University of Tasmania in 2017. He trained at the University’s Rural Clinical School for the clinical years of his degree. He spent the subsequent years working at the North West Regional Hospital, Mersey Community Hospital and West Coast District Hospital, and in General Practice in Burnie.

He also recently worked in Palliative Care in north-west Tasmania, providing support to patients who have life-limiting diagnoses. He successfully completed his Clinical Diploma in Palliative Medicine while working with the Palliative Care Service. Ben recently joined Ochre Health in Scottsdale and Bridport as a Rural Generalist Registrar, which includes training in General Practice, Emergency Medicine and an Advanced Generalist Skill.

He also works part-time at the University of Tasmania’s Launceston Clinical School teaching medical students in their final years of study. His current focus is online learning curation and clinical skills simulations. Ben is a passionate advocate for Rural Medicine and improving health outcomes in rural and remote Australia. He is actively involved as a Board Member of the Rural Doctors Association of Tasmania (RDAT), and is also RDAT’s representative on the RDAA Board.

When not working, Ben spends time with his fiancée Ashley and their two cats Oliver and Delilah. They also enjoy camping, cheese and a fine Tasmanian beverage.

SECRETARY

Dr Aaron Hawkins

Aaron is an escapee Queenslander who made his way down to Tasmania in 2018 looking for cooler weather and a snowy mountain outlook in front of which to practice rural medicine. Aaron completed his ACRRM fellowship in 2022 with advanced skills in mental health and is now working in Deloraine. Aaron is also a medical educator with General Practice Training Tasmania (GPTT) as well as with ACRRM.

TREASURER

Dr Angela Retchford

Dr. Angela Retchford is a rural practitioner with dual fellowship and a Diplomate with the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. She has special interests in obstetrics and gynaecology, skin cancer medicine and emergency medicine. Dr. Retchford is passionate about teaching, is a former examiner for RANZCOG, former tutor at the University of Tasmania School of Medicine and a current facilitator for CRANA+.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Dr Eve Merfield

Eve trained in the United Kingdom before moving to Queensland where she did Emergency Medicine training. Eve moved to Tasmania and then did few winters in Antarctica and the Sub Antarctic. During this time, she completed FACRRM training and moved to full time rural medicine.

Eve is now working in Dover at a multipurpose centre providing a range of care to a small community. She retains an interest in Rural Emergency Medicine and other interests include improving access to services for rural patients.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Professor Dennis Pashen

Dennis has joined the Queenstown General Practice in 2015 with over 45 years’ experience working within rural and remote practice. He is also currently the Medical Coordinator for Ochre Health for Tasmania. He has worked in procedural practice in North Queensland and was the Foundation Director of the Mt Isa Centre for Rural and Remote Health, James Cook University, and the Director of Medical Services in South Burnett and Rural Darling Downs Health and Hospital Services with responsibility for 18 rural hospitals.

In 2013 Dennis moved to Southern Tasmania and spent the year providing Locum services throughout Australia in emergency medicine, obstetrics and general practice. He has worked for Queensland Country Practice in Qld Health providing locum services as Medical Superintendent and Director of Medical Services roles in rural and remote health facilities. He currently is the Chair of the Australia and New Zealand Physicians Assistants Standards Council and Patron of the Australian College of Paramedic Practitioners. He has a number of publications on rural and remote health workforce and in particular the introduction of Advanced Paramedic Practice, Physicians Assistants and Rural Generalist Programs into Queensland.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Associate Professor Jan Radford

Jan Radford has practised as a general medical practitioner since 1986. She is Associate Professor in General Practice at the University of Tasmania overseeing medical student learning and teaching at the Launceston Clinical School, especially in general practice. Jan is a rural generalist with a specific interest in mental health care. All students at the Launceston Clinical School undertake a 5-week placement in rural general practice. She is grateful to her rural GP colleagues for providing students with positive experiences and hopes this will develop students’ interest in rural practice in years to come.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Dr Vince O'Neill

Vince is a trainee rural generalist anaesthetist, with experience and passionate interests in rural, remote, emergency, pre-hospital and expedition medicine, as well as teaching and international development. He has worked and studied in Nepal, Vietnam, South Korea, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, South Africa, Tanzania, Ireland, the UK, the US, Canada, and various parts of Australia before finding a home amongst the beautiful bluffs and alluring shores of Tasmania. He is an ardent advocate for access to high-quality healthcare for rural Tasmanians, and for fair, well-supported conditions for the health workers who care for them.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Dr Elizabeth Grey

This ancient relic was uncovered in Tasmania over 5 decades ago. Historical evidence reveals she was a nurse before migrating to the Mainland. She rowed from Victoria to Queensland , the ACT and back to Qld where she joined 239 fledglings at UQ who taught themselves to fly. She landed in Rockhampton, battled turbulent winds on Palm Island, glided into Gin Gin (Qld) and then followed the Shearwater to her Homeland. On the East Coast her wings atrophied, her cynicism flourished and her sense of justice sharpened. She now enjoys the emancipation of senile feminist brusqueness and encouraging a new generation of rural practitioners to an environment of underfunding, uncertainty and global crisis.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Dr Robert Dickson

Robert completed training as a Rural Generalist in Tasmania and has worked in various corners of the state as well as with the Australian Antarctic Program.

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Dr Sally Street

Bio to come

COMMITTEE MEMBER

Dr Fiona Beer

Bio required

VICE PRESIDENT

currently vacant

This role is currently vacant, if you are interested in joining the RDAT Committee to make a difference, please email [email protected] 

STUDENT REPRESENTATIVE POSITION

currently vacant

Please express your interest in this position to [email protected] (support will be provided).