A Bay of Plenty doctor has been recognised for her long-standing contribution to primary healthcare, receiving a national award for service to the communities she supports.

Dr Claire Isham, clinical director at Western Bay of Plenty Primary Health Organisation (WBOPPHO) and specialist GP at Ngāti Kahu Hauora ki Tauranga, was awarded the Community Service Medal by the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners (RNZCGP) at a ceremony in Auckland on Saturday, August 1.

The Community Service Medal is presented to college members who have made an outstanding contribution to the communities they serve, a media release said.

Isham said the honour reflected the efforts of many people working across the health sector.

“This is a huge honour, but it doesn’t belong to me alone,” she said.

“Everything the college has recognised is the work of a team. Our general practice teams, our PHO [primary health organisation] kaimahi [workers] and our community partners who show up every day for whānau. I just happen to be at the forefront of it sometimes.”

The award acknowledges Isham’s work in primary care leadership, governance and health equity across Bay of Plenty.

Through her roles with WBOPPHO and Ngāti Kahu Hauora, she has helped shape services designed to better meet the needs of Māori, rural and high-needs communities. Her work has included promoting culturally safe and whānau-centred models of care, developing integrated referral pathways and strengthening connections between primary and secondary healthcare services.

Isham said some of her proudest achievements were the outreach clinics delivered through a partnership between Ngāti Kahu Hauora and the hauora (health) organisations serving Matakana Island and Mōtītī Island.

“That only happens because of the people around me and the trust of the communities we serve,” she said.

“This medal is really theirs to share.”

Her influence extends beyond Bay of Plenty. As chair of the clinical leadership group for General Practice New Zealand, and through involvement in a range of national advisory groups and forums, she has advocated for stronger primary healthcare services and improved outcomes for high-needs populations.

Isham has also contributed to specialist support services, spending a decade as part of the forensic team at Tautoko Mai Sexual Harm Support, providing care for people affected by sexual violence.

More recently, she has been involved with the Atawhai research group, helping advance research into interpersonal violence and improve models of care and service responses.

Originally from Jersey in the Channel Islands, Isham moved to New Zealand in 2003. She completed her medical training at Birmingham University in the United Kingdom and undertook vocational training in general practice in both the UK and New Zealand.

Today, she leads WBOPPHO’s clinical advisory team, supporting the delivery of evidence-based and equity-focused healthcare programmes across general practices and community providers throughout Western Bay of Plenty, while continuing to practise as a specialist GP in Tauranga.