Bunbury doctors honoured for their decades of service to rural health at the long-service awards ceremony

Seven Bunbury doctors have been honoured for their decades of dedication to rural health. The 2026 WA Rural Health Long Service Awards, hosted by Rural Health West and WA Country Health Service, acknowledged general practitioners from across the State for reaching 20, 30, 40 and 50 years of service. Dr Christine Hartley, a GP practising at The Health Hub at Eaton Fair, and Dr Clyde Jumeaux from Bunbury were honoured for their service of over 40 years. Dr Hartley said it was gratifying to be acknowledged. “I have seen such good in people, ordinary people being heroic,” she said. She started practising in Pemberton, and for 15 years worked with two doctors on call to the local hospitals. “I worked every second day and every second weekend and I delivered the babies,” Dr Hartley said. “I also had three babies while there — it was a mad juggle at times, and I had lots of help from my partner and friends there.” Dr Hartley said it was the people and connections she developed from her first 15 years in Pemberton and the last 25 years in Bunbury that kept her going. “I still see some patients from Pemberton, or their children and occasionally their grandchildren,” she said. “I now work at an exciting young practice — Health Hub Eaton — part time with a mix of younger and established doctors. “I love how focused they are on learning more, on getting it right. The vast majority show such genuine care and empathy towards their patients, despite the load and responsibility, and the way they are sometimes treated.” For younger doctors or aspiring ones setting out on their career, Dr Hartley advises them to look out for a grand adventure which will never be boring. “More complex, involved and satisfying than any computer game. So many options within a community for the whole family,” she said. “You can make a difference. It’s really worth trying.” Dr Jumeaux has been practising in Bunbury since 1997 and is currently working with Bunbury Skin Cancer Clinic. He said it was a great honour and cause to reflect on the opportunities a career in rural medicine had provided. “However, there was also the realisation that it came at a cost of spending time as a family growing up, and at a cost of considerable mental fatigue along the journey of constant on-call work in the earlier years,” he said. “It also allowed me to reflect on my remarkable wife, Julie, and my fabulous four children, who all supported me along the journey.” Dr Jumeaux added, “There are seasons where the sun is shining and there are memories of great joy and satisfaction. “There are seasons like the cold and wet of winter when you remember the special patients that succumbed to terminal illness that you could do nothing about. “There were seasons like the freshness of spring where I had the privilege to deliver about 1000 babies into the world and enjoy that special moment with the parents. “There were the seasons of change where I realised, for my own mental health, it was time to change direction and direct my energy down a different path.” For a rural GP, Dr Jumeaux said trust was one of the most important aspects in the management of patients while working in a community. “Trust and integrity between the rural GP and their community is one of the fundamental aspects in the relationship between a rural GP and their community,” he said. “If that is breached then it is difficult to come back from.” He said it was the joy of being able to make a positive difference that kept him motivated to continue serving his community for so long. “There is a joy that comes from being able to serve your community to the best of your capacity,” Dr Jumeaux said. “It must be balanced with the cost of the mental and physical fatigue that often is associated with lots of on-call work where you may find yourself having to make decisions when you are sleep deprived, but when there may be no other person available to provide that skill at that time.” Dr Jack Edelman, a specialist rheumatologist running a private practice in Bunbury every Friday, was recognised for his 30 years of service to rural health. He said it was great to be recognised and appreciated. “I enjoy providing the rheumatologic service to the Bunbury region and am in Bunbury once a week,” he said. “This milestone really is just arriving at a long period of time that I have enjoyed. “The patients are grateful for the service and over time many have become like family. “Helping people who are grateful and seeing the benefits of their treatment keeps me motivated.” Other doctors from Bunbury who were recognised for their 20 years service were Dr Julie Bourne, Dr Tsoake Azer Faso, Dr Martin Gadd and Dr Clare Willix.