Our sister clinic, Bluff Road Medical Centre, was thrilled to welcome Dr Damian Hannon to the team earlier this year. Here, we get to know a bit more about Dr Hannon, what drives him and his special interests.
What’s your professional background?
I’m actually from Northern Ireland, so I trained there. We’re part of the UK system – it’s all within the National Health Service. I finished my medical school in Ireland and then I worked in wards in the UK doing intern and residency.
I immigrated to Australia in 2015. I primarily worked in emergency before leapfrogging across to General Practice.
One of the draws of Australian General Practice compared to Ireland is that there’s a lot more scope to diversify your practice and add special interest areas. It doesn’t seem to be as readily available or as easy to make happen in the UK.
I’ve worked across NSW and Victoria over the last nine years. I’ve been all over – Tamworth, Newcastle, Melbourne and then Gippsland. I recently returned back to Melbourne.
What made you decide to become a doctor?
I think sometimes you accidentally fall into medicine. I have two older sisters and one of them had started in medicine. She enjoyed it and I sort of followed in her footsteps.
I was only told I couldn’t be one thing – a teacher, and that was my parents’ profession! If I ever have kids, I’d probably say you can do anything except be a doctor. It can be a hereditary curse.
What do you love about your work?
What I love about General Practice and why I’ve ended up in it is the opportunity to offer continuity of care and engage in those more meaningful longitudinal relationships. In hospital medicine, it was a lot of transactional medicine in the sense that you’d see a person on a ward and then you’d never see them again.
In General Practice, you get to know the individual and often their families, then start to put the dots together as to who’s who. You get a greater understanding globally in the context not only of their health, but of their environment and social network as well.
Do you have an area of special interest?
I enjoy all areas of General Practice and I’m very happy to see anyone with any sort of complaint.
My specialist areas that I like to look after are men’s health, sexual health, LGBTIQA+ care, gender-affirming care, mental health and chronic disease management.
I have an additional qualification in palliative medicine and end-of-life care. I do aged care as well – I like looking after older people and the complexities that go with that.
An area of interest that I haven’t seen a lot of until recently has been paediatrics. It’s been really nice starting at Bluff Road Medical Centre and being able to see some acute presentations and meet some young families as well.
Hobbies outside work?
I try to stay fit and healthy by going to the gym four-plus times a week.
I have two dogs – Teddy and Chookie – that are pretty much the centre of my universe. I spend a lot of time prioritising and walking and feeding them.
I also enjoy travelling and catching up with friends.
Like to make an appointment?
Dr Damian Hannon consults at Bluff Road Medical Centre on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
To make an appointment, call (03) 9598 6244 or book online.