New England doctors recognised with OAMs after almost 35 years working together at Warialda Family Practice

Warialda doctors Clem Gordon and Di Coote were presented with Medals of the Order of Australia (OAM) as part of the 2023 King's Birthday Honours List.

Both Dr Gordon and Dr Coote received their medals for "service to medicine", and Dr Gordon for "service to the community" as well.

The pair were joint recipients of the Rural Doctor of the Year award from the Rural Doctor's Network in 2007 and shared Citizen of the Year honours from Gwydir Shire Council in 2010.

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"We were both very humbled and honoured by it all," Dr Coote said. "This is probably the icing on the cake for us."

Since 1989, they have been working at the Warialda Family Practice as general practitioners.

"We never really had a plan, we'd moved six times in eight years around Queensland before arriving here," Dr Coote said.

"I said to Clem that the kids needed stability and that we weren't moving again."

The pair are a big part of the community and hope to raise more awareness of pressure on rural and remote GPs struggling to find qualified doctors to take their place.

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Dr Coote, 68, and Dr Gordon, 69, have six of their 11 grandchildren living locally, while one of their four children, Lizzie, is now working with them as a GP.

They work long hours treating patients at their surgery, at a nursing home and at the local hospital.

They have to hire a locum to get a day off and often work at night and on weekends.

"Everyone is looking for doctors and it's becoming quite arduous," Dr Coote said.

"When we first came here, I could finish at 6pm, go for a swim and still have time to do things at home with the kids.

"Now I'm in the surgery until 9pm most nights and on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon to catch up."

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Both have also been part of numerous sporting clubs in Warialda where they have held executive roles.

They have stayed on as doctors in recent years as Warialda feels the effects of a national GP shortage.

"We were going to retire at 65, but there are no doctors here, so if we left Warialda they would be left with no medical cover," Dr Gordon said.

"It's a lot harder here now than when we first moved here.

"There would be less than five per cent of doctors in Australia who work in towns the size of ours.

"So on behalf of those doctors this [OAM] is recognition for them too I feel."

HONOURS LIST: Find out who made the 2023 King's Birthday Honours List

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