General Practitioner

Bay Centre Medical is very excited to welcome back Dr Hayley Hall.

Dr Thomas James joins the team at Bay Centre Medical as a GP Registrar.

Dr Laila Zuabi is passionate about all aspects of general practice. She is committed to providing a high standard of medical care, believing in a multidisciplinary and integrative approach as key to managing the health and well-being of the person and their environment.

Graduated in medicine and surgery at the University of Seville, her hometown in Spain, Laila obtained her specialty in family and community medicine in 2006, on the island of Mallorca, where she has practiced since. 

 Among her experience helping her loved patients, Laila has supervised and instructed doctors in training, has participated in the creation of governmental health protocols and has worked for more than 8 years as an assistant physician in the Emergency Department of the Son Llatzer Hospital.

 A tireless traveller, she has had the opportunity to collaborate in the field with NGOs in needy countries being one of her best learning and life experiences.

Laila moved to Northern River's with her Australian partner more than 1 year ago and has chosen Byron Bay to practice medicine after falling in love with the town and its community. 

Dr Julian Chew has been a GP in the Northern Rivers for over 15 years and enjoys all aspects of General Practice. He is well versed in family medicine from school-aged children through to the elderly and men's health. Outside of medicine he enjoys spending time with his family and friends, watching and playing sport, and is an active member of Byron Bay Presbyterian Church.

Dr Michaela Rickcord studied at the Medical University in Graz, Austria.

She graduated in 2005 and obtained her Fellowship in General Practice and Diploma in Gynaecology and Obstetrics prior to moving to Australia in 2009.

Michaela spent a few years at the Gold Coast University Hospital in Gynaecology and Obstetrics before locating to the Northern Rivers.

Michaela is passionate about all areas of general practice and antenatal care with a special interest in all aspects of women centred care from adolescence through to postmenopausal years.

Michaela has extensive experience in management of menstrual abnormalities, contraception, sexual health, vulval health, PCOS, Endometriosis, PMS/PMDD and fertility.

Michaela performs Implanon and IUD insertions (copper and hormone).

Michaela works together with her patients to understand their unique set of problems and tailor personalised treatment plans.

Outside of Medicine Michaela is a devoted mother, loves nature the outdoors and her animals.

Dr Robyn O’Grady studied medicine at Deakin University in Victoria, graduating in 2014. She gained valuable experience working at Geelong Hospital and Lismore Base Hospital, in various medical fields. Her work in General Practice across multiple practices in the Northern Rivers highlights her expertise. She has been at Bay Centre Medical since 2018. 

Robyn brings an added element to her work with a background as a dietitian, having a nutrition and dietetics honours degree, and having worked extensively as a clinical and sports dietitian prior to her career change to medicine. Accordingly, Robyn has an interest in nutrition for disease prevention, weight management and sports nutrition. 

Robyn’s special interests include women's health, including pregnancy planning, antenatal care and menopause. Robyn has completed additional training in management of unplanned pregnancies and implanon insertions. 

Her other interest include children’s health, skin cancer, sports and travel medicine. She is currently working towards a diploma in skin cancer medicine. 

Robyn is a busy mum to 3 young children and understands the complexities of motherhood. Her passions outside of work are running and travel with her young family.

Dr Neil Hannah was born and trained in Scotland, moving to Australia in 2012. He has worked with Bay Centre Medical for over a decade. Dr Hannah has an interest in family medicine and paediatrics. He lives with his young family in the hinterland. He visits St Andrew's Nursing home fortnightly and works in Suffolk Park on a Thursday.

Joel moved to the Northern Rivers by chance having spent 2015 travelling around Australia with his wife and their three children.

Joel has served in the Royal Australian Navy continuously since 1997. He was initially an officer of the navigation branch and a ship’s diving officer before studying medicine at the University of Sydney in 2004. Joel worked at the Navy’s Submarine & Underwater Medicine Unit at HMAS Penguin, Sydney from 2010-2015 and was the Officer-In-Charge from 2012. Responsibilities included the medical care and selection of the Navy’s elite Clearance Divers and Submariners as well as the medical management of military and civilian diving accidents including hyperbarics. He deployed to many areas of the globe including East Timor, the Middle East, Pakistan, South East Asia and Papua New Guinea and has worked with the UN, NATO and Humanitarian agencies. He has been in the Navy Reserves since 2016.

Joel has lectured extensively on diving medicine and updated/co-edited the diving medicine textbook 'Diving Medicine for Scuba Divers', 2023 Edition. He conducts diving medicals for both recreational & occupational divers.

Joel also has a special interest in paediatrics and holds a Diploma of Child Health (2010).

MBBS(Syd), B.Hlth.Sc, FRACGP

Dr Gover has particular interests in paediatric health, diabetes and family medicine.

MBBS (Melb), FRACGP, DRACOG

Dr Matthew Wood is a general practitioner with broad medical experience. He graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1994 and has since gained additional qualifications in antenatal care, women's health, and paediatrics. His extensive previous work spans addiction medicine, pain management, adolescent health, sexual health, and psychiatry. His current practice spans everything from chronic disease management to acute illness to procedures such as skin cancer surgery.

Matthew's focus is on primary care for individuals and families, with a particular emphasis on preventive health, longevity, and well-being. He is intrigued by the mind-body connection and fascinated by health myths and misconceptions, applying a skeptical, science-based approach to his practice. He enjoys the educational aspect of medicine, training medical students and GP registrars, and discussing the latest research with his patients.

An avid trail runner, Matthew has a keen interest in sports medicine and is intrigued by the capabilities of the human body. Beyond his medical practice, he is passionate about the natural environment, deeply concerned about the climate crisis, and committed to animal welfare. His days off will often find him and his wife running in the hinterland rainforests or mountains, or along our beautiful beaches.

Matthew has four adult children, with whom he enjoys playing obscure board games. He also loves choral singing and looks forward to all the wonderful books he’ll probably never get time to read.

Address

6 Lawson Street, Byron Bay 1 Bryce Street, Suffolk Park

Phone

Byron: 02 6685 6206 Suffolk Park: 02 6685 3647

Fax

Byron: Fax: 02 6685 5788 Suffolk: 02 6685 4988

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Attention Patients

To support and protect our community and patients, we are implementing procedures to minimise the risk of spreading COVID-19 virus. Please do not attend the practice with cold or flu symptoms without speaking to a reception member first. The safety of patients and staff is always our priority. A telehealth appointment may be a more appropriate alternative.