Special honour for excellence awarded to Townsville doctor

Townsville Hospital foetal maternal specialist Dr David Watson has been awarded the conspicuous service medal, the highest honour bestowed by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

The medal, which is awarded to only one doctor by the college every year, called out David’s excellence in clinical skills and leadership in caring for women with high-risk pregnancies and their babies while still in-utero.

David said receiving the medal was a great honour.

“We have a foetal maternal medicine centre based in Townsville offering tertiary-level foetal maternal services to the Torres Strait, Cairns, Mount Isa, Mackay and locally here in Townsville,” David said.

“Foetal maternal medicine offers unique and important care to women with high-risk pregnancies in North Queensland, so this award means we are doing something right.”

David said he was caught by surprise when he heard he would be receiving the medal.

“I came to a morning handover one day and some colleagues announced they had applied on my behalf and that their application was successful,” he said.

“I was really honoured and it is affirming to know your colleagues think you are doing a good job.

“You always hope that you are doing good work but it’s nice to get the feedback.”

David said it went without saying that he was grateful to those who nominated him.

“I’m also very grateful for the leadership of former Townsville Hospital obstetrician Professor Eric Green,” he said.

“It was his foresight that identified a need for a foetal maternal medicine service in North Queensland so I’m incredibly thankful to him.”

Acting executive director medical services Dr Niall Small congratulated David.

“It is an impressive honour to receive and David should be proud,” he said.

“As a health service, we are very lucky to have clinicians of this calibre working to improve the health of our community.

“David and his team provide a service to women with high-risk pregnancies that isn’t available anywhere outside Queensland’s south-east corner.

“David’s passion for his speciality and patients is second to none.

“The medal is absolutely deserved, and I am thrilled to see David recognised on this scale.”

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