Aleisha Orr
WA's cream of the GP crop named at awards ceremony
West Australian GPs have been honoured for their excellence in patient care, commitment to their community and leadership roles at this year's RACGP WA Awards.
About the Author
Aleisha Orr
Geraldton based Dr Richard Taylor took out the top award, being named WA GP of the Year for his strong commitment to community-focused general practice.
The awards, held on October 17, celebrate excellence in patient care, education, leadership and service to the community recognised the state's leading GPs, supervisors, registrars, educators and practices.
The RACGP said Dr Taylor's dedicated service to his patients and community had made a meaningful difference to his patients and community.
It has been a big year from Dr Taylor, who was also named GP of the Year at the 2026 WA Rural Health Excellence Awards and took out the RACGP WA Faculty Legend Award in 2025.
Speaking to Medical Forum in a profile piece earlier this year, Dr Taylor said being a GP in a rural area gave him the variety he enjoyed about medicine. He also has qualifications in anaesthetics and obstetrics.
"I love the variety of working as a GP and then doing work in the theatre and obstetrics. Because it’s a regional centre, the hospital work can be quite varied too and you never know what you might be doing."
This year the WA Faculty Legend Award went to Dr Brett Montgomery in recognition of his longstanding contribution to general practice through advocacy, clinical leadership, and representation of the profession.
Over many years, he has served on numerous RACGP committees, working groups, and advisory bodies, providing a strong professional voice for both the College and the broader general practice profession.
The RACGP acknowledged that his contributions had helped ensure the voice of GPs was represented in healthcare policy, reform, and clinical guidance.
Most recently, Dr Montgomery served on the RACGP’s First Do No Harm Expert Steering Group, represented the College in the development of the 2026 Guidelines for the Early Detection of Prostate Cancer in Australia, and contributed to a range of committees and working groups promoting patient safety and supporting high-quality care.
The winners of the 2026 RACGP WA awards.
Other award winners included General Supervisor of the Year Dr Jennifer Ellis, who was recognised for her dedication to supporting registrars and fostering excellence in education.
The GP in Training of the Year award was presented to Dr Christopher Chi who relocated his family to serve communities in regional WA and has already made a positive impact early on in his career.
Dr Jenny Smith’s contribution to Fellowship assessment in the state over more than two decades was recognised with the Jack Christodoulou Examiner Award.
Dr Jessica Huang was awarded the Sam Bada Medical Educator Award for her outstanding commitment to registrar education, mentorship and wellbeing.
Pioneer Health Albany was named WA Practice of the Year. The practice was commended for embedding itself meaningfully within the community it serves and exemplifying a holistic approach to general practice.
The awards panel commended the practice’s innovative approach which includes strong community connections, outreach activities supporting vulnerable populations, and its multidisciplinary enhanced primary care model.
RACGP WA Chair Dr Ramya Raman congratulated this year’s recipients.
“General practice is the foundation of our healthcare system, and these award winners exemplify the very best of our profession,” she said.
“Whether it’s providing outstanding care in local communities, training the next generation of GPs, supporting patients in rural and remote areas, or advancing healthcare through leadership and advocacy, each recipient has made a remarkable contribution.
“These awards recognise not only professional excellence, but a deep commitment to patients, communities, and the future of general practice in WA."