Dr Richard Hanbury at Mittagong Medical Centre loves living and working in the Southern Highlands. He says being part of the community and part of his patients’ lives is very rewarding.
Learn more about Dr Hanbury….
How long have you been a GP and how long have you been practising in Mittagong?
I’ve been a GP for 38 years and I’ve been at this practice in Mittagong for 38 years.
When/why did you decide you wanted to become a GP?
In medical school I remember reading a lot of Australian Family Physicians in the library. I thought how interesting the job was. I also wanted to work in the country. I considered being a farmer but that never eventuated! I thought becoming a GP would be a good chance to work in the country and to be in charge of my own business. As a GP you are part of the community and very much a part of people’s lives – it’s been quite special to be part of people’s lives, a real privilege.
What do you love most about being a GP/what part of the job gives you the most satisfaction?
I like being part of people’s lives and trying to make a difference. You can give people advice but they don’t always take it of course and you need to accept that. And maybe it’s not the right advice. We don’t always know best. You give people options and they have to decide.
What is the most important thing you/your practice contributes to this community?
We give holistic care, we look after all people and we have a sense of community. This has been the original practice in Mittagong for well over 100 years. All the doctors have been here for some time, we don’t change much. We’ve got generations of families who have always been to this practice. People are very loyal and really appreciate what we do for them.
What do you like to do in your spare time?
I like to walk. I walk every day, we’ve got a big garden at home, play tennis, involved a lot with church activities and we were travelling a lot before COVID-19 restrictions. I also like to catch up with friends.
Tell me about your ideal day…
I like to get up in the morning and go for a walk for half-an-hour. I’m at the hospital at 7.30am to see my patients and then back to the surgery at 8.30am. Coffee at 10 o’clock on the dot, a five-minute lunchbreak at 12pm and I’d like to be out of here by 6pm.
What do you love most about the Mittagong/Wingecarribee Shire?
I love where I work, I love the people I work with and my patients. I live a four-minute drive to work, we have a comfortable house and lovely garden, and it’s a four-minute drive to the hospital on the other side. We have four seasons in the Southern Highlands and the soil is very good for gardening. It’s only an hour and a quarter to the Belvoir Theatre at Surry Hills for example, or we can go down to the beach in under an hour. There’s also very good schools here in the Southern Highlands so I think we’re very fortunate. There’s also a lot of interesting people here too – people from all walks of life. Especially now with COVID, we’re lucky we don’t live in Sydney.
What advice do you give your patients about maintaining good health?
Regular exercise, don’t smoke, not too much alcohol, be socially engaged.