Two College Fellows receive 2022 New Year Honours

11 January 2022

By Alex Bygrave, Communications Advisor

Please join the College in congratulating Distinguished Fellows Dr Clare Healy and Dr Graeme Fenton, who received New Year’s Honours in 2022. New Zealand Order of Merit awards are given to people in ‘any field of endeavour who have rendered meritorious service to the Crown and nation or who have become distinguished by their eminence, talents, contributions or other merits.’

Dr Clare Healy

Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit - for services to medical forensic education

Distinguished Fellow Dr Clare Healy has been a general practitioner for over 30 years, working for and with people affected by sexual assault, abuse, family violence and non-fatal strangulation.

Dr Healy volunteered as a member of the Medical Sexual Assault Clinicians Aotearoa (MEDSAC) Board for nearly 20 years and was a lecturer for the New Zealand Police Sexual Assault Investigators Training Course from 2005 to 2011.

She is regarded as New Zealand’s foremost GP expert in this field of sexual assault medical care. She regularly works alongside Police, lawyers, academics, judges, and non-government organisations to share her knowledge and expert opinion.

Dr Healy is currently a general practitioner at Halswell Health, Clinical Director of the Cambridge Clinic in Christchurch and is the content development lead for the new MEDSAC non-fatal strangulation education programme.

Dr Graeme Fenton

Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit - for services to Māori and rural health

Distinguished Fellow Dr Graeme Fenton has been a GP in Northland for 54 years, serving an area with high health needs and a population of 85 percent Māori.

He established Moerewa Medical Services in 1967 and contributed to the planning of Ngāti Hine Health Trust, which he has been associated with ever since. In 1997 he set up the first publicly-funded rural locum and education service for general practitioners and practice nurses in New Zealand and was a director for 17 years. He was involved in the development of the mid-north after hours service in 2008, which he then managed for 10 years.

Dr Fenton has also stepped into various leadership roles including Director of the Northern Regional Health Authority, serving on the New Zealand Rural General Practice Network Board, and the Te Tai Tokerau Primary Health Organisation Board.

Dr Graeme Fenton was awarded Distinguished Fellowship in 2009, was a joint winner of the Peter Snow Memorial award in 2013 and then the Eric Elder Medal in 2018 for his service and commitment to GP education.