Our Doctors
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Dr. John Gordon
John trained in the UK (St Andrews and Manchester), qualifying in 1991. He worked in NZ as a junior doctor from 1993 – 1995 (including 3 months as a House Surgeon at Masterton Hospital).
He returned to Scotland to complete his GP training and, after a brief spell working in rural South Africa, he was a partner in a large GP practice just outside Edinburgh, until the end of 2011.
He enjoys the wide variety that comes when working in general practice, and has a special interest in dementia. He brings to NZ a wife and 4 children, and loves almost any sport. He is never happier than when whacking a tennis ball or strumming a few tunes on his guitar.
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Dr. Matt Mills
Matt’s approach to life is lighthearted but he takes medicine very seriously.
Originally from the Waikato, Matt graduated from Otago University, gained a Diploma in Obstetrics, before arriving in Masterton in the early 1990s.
With 30 per cent of his general practice involving occupational health, Matt spends a lot of his time consulting with staff and management in the work and factory environment. He also works as a police medical officer.
As a busy doctor, and father of six, Matt has little time for much else except gardening in his five acre section.
“We’re just 10 minutes from town and have this amazing place with great views, and there’s always something to do outdoors – but the best thing about the Wairarapa is there’s no traffic lights!”
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Dr. Richard McGrath
Richard was a GP in Masterton for eighteen years before taking on two positions in addiction medicine in 2011. He is now working two days a weeks as an addiction medical officer at the Care NZ offices in Waiata House, with the other three days doing travel medicine consulting and helping relieve the GPs at Masterton Medical. Richard is also one of three doctors on call for the Wairarapa police, is team doctor for the Wairarapa Bush senior rugby team and occasionally works for short spells in Australia providing medical assistance to the refugees on Christmas Island.
Richard lives with his partner Glenda on a lifestyle block north of Masterton, and has two adult sons and a school-age daughter.
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Dr. Rob Maunsell
Rob’s approach to doctoring involves assessment of the physical, the psychological and the spiritual aspects of a person’s life.
Born and bred in Masterton, and a graduate of Otago University, Rob combines his traditional medical training with the philosophy and methods arising from Dr Rudolf Steiner’s Spiritual Science known as Anthroposophical Medicine.
“Steiner’s teachings require looking at the processes working in Nature to gain understanding of human functions and disease processes. From this broad knowledge of the relationships between human’s and the world of Nature the use of medicines derived from the natural world can be deduced.” says Rob
“Having worked for many years as a GP in Hawkes Bay and now in Masterton, I have been able to put these theories into practice and discover what can work for us in the New Zealand environment.” There is a colleaguial network of serveral thousand Anthroposphic doctors working throughout the world enabling the practical knowlege of medicines and their application to human illnesses to be strengthened and refined. Working together on a referral basis with therapists and nurses amplifies what medicines and good nutrition can do to improve an individual’s health.
Rob plays guitar and the harmonica in a blues band, but says his first love is being a GP.
“I’m still as passionate about being a doctor as when I first started practicing medicine in the mid 1970’s.”
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Dr. Tony Becker
Although Tony was born in Invercargill he was raised in Upper Hutt so he almost considers himself a local.
Following an academic history which included a Masters of Science in Zoology and Biology and a Diploma in Finance, Tony turned his sights to medicine and has never looked back.
After training at Wellington Hospital he spent 10 years working half time at Masterton ED and half time job sharing with his wife Cath in general practice before finally taking up GP work fulltime.
Tony says it’s his GP work that he enjoys the most on a personal level.
“It’s a great atmosphere here, and it makes such a difference having that continuity of care with patients, and building relationships over time – it makes you realise health care is not all about medicine.”
Tony is a Fellow of the RNZCGP.
His days are now split between General Practice, his work as Clinical Director of Masterton Medical and his job as GP Clinical Lead for the Wairarapa.
Tony enjoys fishing, tramping, cycling and travel, and with the last of four children leaving for university he intends to spend more time with his wife pursuing these interests.
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Dr. Cath Becker
Tena koutou katoa
Ko Tainui te waka
Ko Taupiri te maunga,
Ko Waikato te awa
Ko Ngati Haua te haapu
Ko Rukumoana te marae
Ko Cath Becker ahau
Tena koutou, tena koutou tena koutou katoaCath works part time as a General Practitioner, at both Masterton Medical and Te Rangimarie Marae Clinic and part time as a GP with Special interests – in Skin Cancer medicine. She has training in minor surgery and skin cancer surgery, as well as Dermoscopy. She also works across general practice and Wairarapa Hospital, in Skin Cancer medicine, in the Skin Cancer Surgery Outpatient Service.
Cath is interested and trained in Melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, and surgery, and is happy to see patients for skin checks and provide advice. Other minor surgery procedures eg.vasectomy are also provided by Cath at Masterton Medical.
Cath has worked at Te Rangimarie Marae Clinic since she pioneered its beginning in 2004. She has seen some changes, and now the clinic works from a small, but purpose built three-room clinic at the front of the Wharekai complex. A small team of doctors and nurses provide primary care services Monday to Friday mornings to a group of patients preferring this venue.
Cath is also a GP Registrar teacher, and enjoys this very much, supporting and encouraging new GP’s placed with the practice for a 6-month period, before sitting the GP examinations. She tries to always impart enthusiasm for the job of General Practice, and believes that this is the most valuable skill to leave with Registrars.
Cath has other interests, she is married to Tony Becker, and they have four grown children, two near, and two away at University studying. She loves her garden, especially growing vegetables, and the outdoors. Tony and Cath have a list of NZ tramping and cycling events to get through over the next few years! The Wairarapa is a wonderful place to live for Cath, who loves the bush and the rivers, and the climate.
