Three FACEMs were included on the honours list, having been nominated by their communities – Dr Roslyn Crampton, Dr Phillip Hungerford and Dr Peter Roberts.
The College also congratulates FACEM Dr Gary Tall, who received the Ambulance Service Medal, awarded to members of Australian ambulance services for distinguished service. Both Gary and Roslyn were also included in the COVID-19 Honour Roll, which acknowledges individuals whose service or achievement related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
ACEM President Dr Clare Skinner said, “Emergency medicine innately involves taking on leadership positions, whether formal or informal, both in our hospital systems and in our communities. It is an honour to see our members nationally recognised for the initiatives they’ve developed and led, the precedents of care and equity they have set, and the outstanding work that they do.”
Dr Roslyn Crampton received the award for her contributions in medical administration. She works at Westmead Hospital in Western Sydney and has held the position of Director of Medical Services since 2013. She has served on the Clinical Training Committee and as Co-Director of Clinical Support.
Roslyn is also significantly involved in the NSW state public health service, acting as the director of Education for the Western Sydney Health District and as a member of various medical training institutes.
Dr Philip Hungerford was recognised for his service to emergency medicine. He has dedicated much of his career to rural health, practicing at Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital since 1981 and taking on Director positions in the Emergency, Critical Care, Intensive Care and Palliative Care sectors.
Philip is the Former Chair of the Rural Critical Care Committee, and helped establish rural telemedical services in Tamworth, as well as a 24/7 Critical Care Advice Service for the New England / North west region.
Dr Peter Roberts has also been awarded the medal on account of his service to emergency medicine. He is currently the director of the Acute and Critical Care Network and has been the Director of Emergency Medicine at Ryde Hospital since 2007. Prior to this, Peter worked as the director of The Hills Private Hospital Emergency Department for nearly a decade.
Peter has also been significantly involved in education, helping establish the Masters of Critical Care Medicine course at the University of Sydney, and the Peripheral Hospitals Emergency Medicine Conference.
Dr Gary Tall has committed 30 years of his professional life to retrieval medicine, having begun with the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter in 1993. He helped develop the current model of air retrieval services in NSW, acting as the Director of Aeromedical Clinical operations in 2005 and continuing to provide clinical oversight for critically unwell patients across NSW.
In recent years, Gary has played a crucial roll in overseeing state-wide responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as state bushfire and flood responses.
The College congratulates and thanks these individuals for their work and dedication to the field of emergency medicine, and to the local and national community.