Bay of Plenty Doctor Awarded Prestigious Harkness Fellowship

Monday 19th December, 2016

Bay of Plenty Doctor Awarded Prestigious Harkness Fellowship

A Bay of Plenty doctor will be spending a year in America studying the use of technology in rural healthcare after landing a prestigious research award.

Dr Emily Gill has been awarded a Harkness Fellowship in Health Care Policy and Practice by the Commonwealth Fund. Considered one of the most prestigious in health policy, only one Harkness Fellowship is awarded from New Zealand each year.

“I am thrilled and humbled to be joining the ranks of so many influential and illustrious people,” said Dr Gill, a General Practitioner at both Te Kaha’s Te Whanau a Apanui Community Health Centre and Opotiki’s Whakatohea Health Centre.

“I feel very honoured that I was deemed worthy of the award and am excited by its potential. I am also looking forward to contributing in innovative ways to primary healthcare delivery in the Eastern Bay of Plenty when I return.”

For 12 months, starting in September 2017, Dr Gill will be based in America conducting research on the use of digital technology to engage communities in a rural primary health care. She will be placed at a top research institution working with leading experts where she will also be studying healthcare delivery reforms and health policy issues, as well as gaining valuable insight into international healthcare systems.

Dr Gill plans to return to Opotiki in the early summer of 2018, full of enthusiasm and ideas to continue working with the local healthcare sector to improve primary care delivery.

“We are delighted with Emily’s achievement,” said Whakatohea Maori Trust CEO Dickie Farrar. “And we’re sure that the insights she brings back will not only help our Whakatohea community, but contribute to our desire to be a national and international showcase of innovative rural healthcare delivery.”

Having a local professional involved in such research activities was good news for the Eastern Bay said Church Street Surgery’s Dr Jo Scott-Jones, who nominated Dr Gill for the opportunity.

"Emily's passion for general practice, leadership ability and significant intellect were evident during her time at Church Street Surgery as a GP registrar, I knew the Harkness Fellowship would allow her to accelerate her skills,” said Dr Scott-Jones.

Dr Gill’s application required the support of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board, which was gladly given by its Chief Executive Helen Mason, herself a recipient of a Harkness Fellowship in 2014-15.

“I was delighted to support Emily’s application and am thrilled rural Eastern Bay of Plenty has been recognised as a place where Emily’s skills can be used to contribute to both national and international research to improve primary health care,” said Mrs Mason.

“The BOPDHB strives to be a leading place of clinical excellence and Emily’s award will ensure this excellence spreads from the urban centre of Tauranga to our remote clinics of Te Whanau a Apanui.”

Notes to journalists

You can read more about the Commonwealth Fund and the Harkness Fellowships athttp://www.commonwealthfund.org/grants-and-fellowships/fellowships/harkness-fellowships .

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