Doctors

Dr Orna Scanlon – Clinical Director

MB, BCh, BAO, BA (Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland), Diploma in Obstetrics & Gynaecology (Australia), MRCGP (UK), FRACGP

Orna moved to Rockhampton from Ireland in 1996 where she worked at the Base Hospital for 18 months. She then spent 7 years working in different specialties at the Townsville Hospital before moving to the UK in 2003 for 2 years to complete her Membership of the Royal College of GPs. Upon returning to Townsville in 2005, she worked for 2 years at The Townsville Aboriginal & Island Health Centre before joining the team at Health & Wellbeing North Ward in 2007.

Her special interests are: family medicine, children, women’s health [Diploma in Obstetrics & Gynaecology], Indigenous health, chronic diseases.

As one of two Clinical Directors, Orna regularly reviews our processes and systems from a clinical perspective and provides guidance and updates as required.

Dr Reuben Scott – Clinical Director

MBBS, FRACGP, Clinical Diploma Palliative Medicine

Dr Scott is a specialist GP who enjoys working with kids and families. Dr Scott has broad experience caring for patients of all ages and stages. He has experience in childrens health, Veterans Health (DVA), mens & womens health, aged care and chronic disease, chronic pain/ fibromyalgia (non-opiate management) and palliative care.

Reuben is married to Esther and they have 4 children.

He graduated from James Cook University and has been practicing in the Townsville region ever since, earning a Clinical Diploma in Palliative Medicine at the Townsville Hospital. During his GP training, he worked at various practices in Townsville, Charters Towers, Ayr and Home Hill. Reuben loves to spend time with his family, go fishing (not often enough), watch movies and being part of his Church.

As one of two Clinical Directors, Reuben regularly reviews our processes and systems from a clinical perspective and provides guidance and updates as required.

Dr Martin Doris

MB, BCH, BAO, DRCOG, FRACGP

Dr Martin Doris completed his medical degree at Queens University Belfast in 1991, did his GP training and then emigrated from Ireland to Australia in 1998 with his wife Catherine, daughter Christine and son Michael. He worked in Julia Creek for five years as Medical Superintendent with right of private practice and, in that time, attained Fellowship of the Royal College of General Practitioners and Australian citizenship. He has been working in fulltime General Practice in Townsville since then. His special interest include dermatology, skin cancer surgery, diabetes, travel medicine, and antenatal care.

Dr Vicki Stonehouse

MBBS, FRACGP, FACRRM

Vicki has extensive experience in Indigenous Health and Rural and Remote Medicine.

Vicki completed her Fellowship for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in Townsville and works at Health & Wellbeing North Ward part-time.

Dr Sarah Fatima 

MBBS(BD), MPH(BD), LMCC(CA), FRACGP(AUS)

Dr Sarah attained her primary medical degree in Bangladesh and then worked at Bangladesh Civil Service Hospital for four years. Sarah then completed Masters in Public Health and was engaged as a lecturer at Dhaka Medical College for two years. Whilst living in Canada, Sarah completed her LMCC and was employed by Alberta Health Services, Canada for two years. In moving to Australia, she has worked in a rural hospital for a year and subsequently worked in Indigenous health for 7 years. During this period, Sarah worked in a wide range of rural and remote communities of far north Queensland which includes Ravenshoe, Babinda, Innisfail, Tully, Ingham, Abergowrie, Charter’s Tower, Home hill and Townsville. She completed her Fellowship from Royal Australian College of General Practitioner. She also completed her Primary certificate in skin cancer management.

Dr Sarah’s special interests include Family Medicine, Indigenous health, chronic disease, skin cancer management and women’s health including IUD & Implanon insertion and removal.

In her spare time, Sarah likes to read books, watch movies, travel and spend quality time with family and friends.

Dr Meenal Barwal

MBBS, FRACGP

Dr Meenal Barwal was born and raised in India, where she completed her medical degree.

She worked in India, in various hospitals and GPs for a few years before moving to Australia.

Meenal then attained her GP fellowship in Townsville, where she has worked as a GP for over 8 years.

She has a broad range of experience in preventive health and chronic disease management. She believes in a holistic approach to patient care which is based on treating the patient as a whole, not just their illnesses.

Her special interests are mental health, including managing antenatal and postnatal depression, and depression in menopausal women, women’s and men’s health, and skin diseases.

She also has experience in counselling patients about contraceptives and sexually transmitted diseases, IUD and Implanon insertion and removal.

Meenal also has a professional certificate in skin cancer and aesthetic medicine.

Dr Deirdre Van Der Merwe

MBBS, FRACGP

Deirdre graduated in 2005 in South Africa and immigrated to Australia in 2007.  She spent the next few years working in emergency medicine in regional Western Australia before moving to Queensland to complete her GP training. She was granted a fellowship in 2015.

Deirdre enjoys all aspects of general practice but especially loves working with children and has her diploma in child health from the University of Sydney.

She also has a keen interest in women’s health and enjoys performing minor procedures.

Dr Daphne Tseng

Daphne graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Medicine/Bachelor of Surgery and Bachelor of Science in 2014. She spent a number of years working at the Mater Brisbane in a variety of medical sub-specialties. She completed her Fellowship in General Practice in 2021.

She is interested in all areas of general practice particularly dermatology, women’s health and chronic diseases. She strives to take a holistic approach to patient care, to promote health literacy, and to help empower patients to manage their health conditions.

Dr Zachary Baker

MBBS

Originally from Wollongong, Dr Zachary Baker moved to Townsville in 2014 at JCU and graduated in 2019.

Dr Zachary Baker has mainly worked in Emergency Department at TUH and currently works in General Practice and Sports Medicine.

Dr Zachary Baker has a special interest in Sports Medicine and looks forward to helping you with any health-related issues or concerns.

Dr Michael McLaren

BAppSc with Distinction (Microbiology), MD

Dr McLaren was raised on a cattle station on the Atherton Tablelands and has a long family connection to Townsville. He has a bachelor degree in microbiology and completed a post graduate medical degree at Griffith University Gold Coast.

He is interested in all aspects of general practice and believes a wholistic approach to chronic disease prevention is the basis of excellent primary care. 

Patients find him down-to-earth and very easy to talk to when discussing their medical concerns.