Dr Peter Frederiksen has been named in the Australia Day Honours List 2024 for his tireless work in a rural dermatology outreach spanning three decades.
A Sydney dermatologist who has spent the past 30 years visiting outreach clinics in rural NSW has been recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2024 Australia Day Honours List.
Dr Peter Frederiksen, who owns and operates Horsby Dermatology and is a fellow of the Australasian College of Dermatologists, told Dermatology Republic that news of the award had come as a complete shock.
“It came out of the blue, I was surprised,” he said.
He later discovered it was his practice manager Anji and his practice nurse Alison who joined forces to nominate him for his services to dermatology, in particular the two days a month he has trekked to Burke and Brewarrina, about 800km northwest of Sydney to run a dermatology clinic.
He estimates it equates to more than 600 days over that time – and he has no plans to give it up any time soon.
“It’s Burke Thursday, Brewarrina Friday once a month and it’s just what I do,” he said.
He sees the full spectrum of patients, from graziers who are showing the effects of a lifetime in the blazing rural sun, to Indigenous patients with inflammatory dermatitis, acne, vitiligo, eczema and psoriasis and children with eczema and psoriasis – and everything in between.
“It’s a general dermatology clinic, so whatever walks through the door,” he said.
Dr Frederiksen has seen plenty of changes in these communities over the years and more than a few tragic droughts and severe weather events.
“I think both those communities have got a lot smaller over that time, with successive droughts meaning people move away,” he said.
“When I first started going up to Burke, I saw people from Burke and in Brewarrina, people from Brewarrina. Now about a third of the clinic in Burke drives across the two hours from Cobar, and about a third of the clinic in Bree [Brewarrina] drives up from Nyngan, so I’m drawing from a larger area.”
The advent of telehealth has helped him treat more patients and conduct follow-ups for patients, such as those taking biologics for psoriasis. But the clinics were busier now than they have ever been, he said.
For the first 10 years of the service Dr Frederiksen was on his own, and then hospital registrars joined him. Now his practice staff are also involved in the trip, which has been a “godsend” for the clinic.
Dr Frederiksen said he was proud to see the clinic evolve from a one-man show to a vibrant and busy service that attracts people from far and wide in rural NSW.
“But it’s also a sad reflection on the dearth of dermatologists in the country,” he said.
“I am the only no-cost point of delivery dermatological service for five to 600km, probably further, west of Sydney.”
Dr Frederiksen said receiving the OAM was a big honour, although he shies away from too much attention.
“I’ve been very self-deprecating about it, but it’s kind of cool, it’s nice to have that acknowledgement,” he said.
“I’ve always worked within a solo private practice. Anji’s been my practice manager for 11 and a half years, Alison’s worked for me for all 12 and a half years. And we just get on really well. It’s just a really pleasant working environment.
“It’s nice that they’ve gone to the trouble because they respect what I do. I’m deeply indebted to them for doing it. And it’s an honour, it is pretty cool.”
