Doctors
The doctors working from Highlands General Practice are highly experienced and friendly.
They have a variety of special interests across all areas of general practice including paediatrics, chronic care management, skin, women’s health, men’s health, ante-natal shared care and more.
Many doctors work part-time which is becoming more common in general practice. This allows them to explore other interests and maintain a good work/life balance which ultimately results in an extended career in general practice.
Continuity of care is very important to us and for this reason, doctors encourage their patients to have a “backup” doctor they feel comfortable seeing, in case their regular doctor is unavailable.
To see which doctor is the right fit for you, continue reading their biographies below.
This information is also available when you book appointments in the HotDoc app.
Bowral Street
Dr Stephen Barnett
Dr Stephen Barnett has 20 years’ general experience both in Australia and the UK and became an owner of Highlands General Practice in 2003. Dr Barnett is an active GP Registrar supervisor and assists with medical students.
Dr Barnett is not accepting new patients at this time.
Dr Nicholas Lo
Dr Nick Lo worked as a GP Registrar in Emergency and a number of regional areas before joining Highlands General Practice in 2013, and is an owner in the practice. Dr Lo supervises GP Registrars, is a member of our Skin Cancer Clinic team and is also a Designated Aviation Medical Examiner (DAME).
Paediatrics, Chronic Disease Management & Preventative Health, Men’s Health, Minor Surgical Procedures, Skin Checks & Aviation Medical Examinations
Dr Grant Lewis
Dr Grant Lewis is an experienced general practitioner having worked in rural general practice since 1986 and lived in the Highlands since 2000. He is a preceptor of final year medical students at the University of Wollongong and is an accredited supervisor of general practice registrars.
Dr Lewis continues to play an active role in the Southern Highlands Veterans Cricket Club. You may find him on Bradman Oval when he is not at work!
Dr Lewis is not accepting new patients at this time.
Chronic Disease Management, Men’s Health, Aged Care, Dermatology, Thyroid Disease and Cardiac Disease.
Dr Jenny Loxton
Dr Jenny Loxton has worked in General Practice for 30 years.
She holds a Diploma of Obstetrics qualification and is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. Dr Loxton teaches medical students and is a clinical senior lecturer at the University of Wollongong. She is also accredited with GP Synergy to supervise and teach registrars specialising in General Practice. Dr Loxton believes in a preventative approach to health with regular screenings and effective planning of healthy mind strategies.
Women’s Health, Antenatal & Postnatal Shared Care, Infant Care, Feeding Problems (Lactation Consultant), Chronic Disease Management, Dermatology and Travel Medicine.
Dr Joyce Deng
Dr Joyce Yue Yi Deng joined Highlands GP in August 2022 as a Registrar and completed her training with the RACGP in 2024.
Originally from Canada, she moved to Australia to finish her studies and graduated from the University of Wollongong’s School of Medicine in 2018.
Dr Deng has since worked in rural and metro hospital settings at Tamworth, Gosford and Wyong as well as further training in her special interest of skin health, obtaining a Professional Certificate of Skin Cancer Medicine.
During her time at UOW, she lived in the Southern Highlands and her love of bush walking is one of the reasons she has chosen to stay on and work in the area.
Preventative Medicine, Skin Checks
Dr Tess van Duuren
Dr Tess Van Duuren has lived and worked as a GP in the Southern Highlands since 2001. Dr Van Duuren has a specific interest in GP medical education and currently works for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners.
Dr van Duuren is not accepting new patients at this time.
Dr Chris Alexander
Dr Chris Alexander has over 25 years general practice experience. Dr Alexander is also a Surgical Assistant to General and Orthopaedic Surgeons at both Bowral District Hospital and Southern Highlands Private Hospital.
Dr Alexander is not accepting new patients at this time
Orthopaedics, Dermatology & Minor Surgery
Dr Joo Kim
Dr Joo Kim has returned to Highlands GP where she completed the latter part of her training.
After graduation from UNSW, she underwent training at Blacktown and Mt Druitt hospitals. Dr Kim has undertaken further training by finishing a Diploma in Child Health at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead.
In 2021 she moved to the Southern Highlands with her young family, where she enjoys bushwalking with her children.
Dr Kim is not accepting new patients at this time.
Paediatrics, Women’s Health and Allergy Disease
Dr Stuart Murray
Dr Stuart Murray joined Highlands GP in February 2021 to commence the third term of his General Practice training. In April 2022 he become a Fellow with the RACGP and officially joined Highlands GP as one of our permanent General Practitioners. Dr Murray has also completed a Diploma of Child Health and a Professional Certificate of General Dermatology.
Paediatrics and Dermatology
Dr Huda Ab Aziz
Dr Huda Ab Aziz graduated with a Bachelor of Medicine from the University of Newcastle in 2011. Since then he has worked in Newcastle and Wollongong, as well as rural areas such as Tamworth and Werris Creek. He then pursued his specialty training in General Practice before becoming a Fellow with the RACGP in 2021.
Paediatrics, Geriatric and Palliative care and Chronic health disease.
Dr Akmal Syafiq
Dr Akmal Syafiq is a Malaysan-born, rural trained GP with 10 years’ experience working in multiple healthcare settings.
After graduating from the University of Newcastle in 2014, Dr Akmal completed his residency in the Central Coast NSW and his fellowship in the South Coast NSW.
Dr Akmal also completed his Masters in Public Health whilst working as a Panel Physician with Visa Immigratin Services in 2020.
Dr Akmal is passionate about health coaching & nurturing healthy habits.
Outside of work, Dr Akmal enjoys swimming, reading fiction and event organizing for the local community.
Mental Health, Chronic Disease Management, General Family Medicine, Geriatric Medicine
Dr Harshinie Jayamanna
Dr Harshinie Jayamanna joined Highlands GP in August 2019 as a Registrar to commence the third term of her General Practice Training towards Fellowship with the Royal Australian College of Practitioners. Dr Jayamanna successfully became a General Practitioner in 2021. Before starting at Highlands GP, she worked in the paediatric fields, undertook studies in Child Health and worked in hospitals across Sydney.
General Practice, Child Health, Women’s Health and Palliative Care
Dr Megan Ryan
Dr Megan Ryan joined Highlands GP in 2025!
Dr Ryan has practiced on the Central Coast, in Sydney and in Canberra. She is a clinical senior lecturer at the University of Wollongong and is passionate about supporting patients to live healthy lifestyles.
When she is not at work, she can be found on her hobby farm with her young family or out in the wilderness.
Lifestyle Medicine, Paediatrics, Women’s Health, Pregnancy Care, Pregnancy & Antenatal Care
Dr Mey Ly Lay
Dr Mey Ly Lay completed her medical degree at The University of New South Wales. She previously worked in Liverpool and Fairfield Hospital gaining extensive experience in a variety of medical and surgical specialties. She has completed the Sydney Child Health Program and has also spent some time training at a women’s health centre.
After spending her final year of General Practice training at Highlands GP, Dr Lay decided to join our team of Doctors once she became a Fellow with the Royal Australia College of General Practitioners in 2025.
Geriatric Medicine, Women’s Health, Preventative Health
Moss Vale
Dr Fiona Mackintosh
Dr (Christine) Fiona Mackintosh has worked as a GP in Moss Vale since 2012. She enjoys the diversity of general practice, especially women¹s and children¹s health. Dr Mackintosh has a diploma in Obstetrics and Gynaecology and offers shared antenatal care and IUD insertion. She enjoys teaching and is a conjoint lecturer at Western Sydney University and a supervisor of GP registrars.
Dr Mackintosh currently has womens health clinic appointments available on Tuesday and Thursday mornings.
Paediatrics, Obstetrics, Shared Care, Women’s Health, Palliative Care
Dr Taleitha Atkins
Dr Taleitha Atkins has worked locally since 2016 in both rural and city areas. In additional to her studies as a General Practitioner, she has further trained in Emergency Medicine and Women’s Health. Dr Atkins teaches post-graduate medical students at the University of Wollongong, assess GP registrars through GP Synergy and holds an appointment at Bowral Hospital in the Emergency Department.
Dr Atkins is not accepting new patients at this time.
Paediatrics, Women’s Health, Antenatal Shared Care and Travel Medicine
Dr Stephen Helme
Dr Stephen Helme is an experienced General Practitioner with an interest in chronic disease management. Dr Helme has worked in many and varying positions around the world including on the ski fields and cruise liners. He is an examiner for the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners. Dr Helme has taught medical students at Western Sydney University and continues to work in the Emergency Department at Bowral District Hospital.
Skin Health, Skin Checks, Minor Excisions
Dr John Ward
Dr John Ward is an experienced General Practitioner, who obtained his degree at the University of NSW and has worked in general practice in both New South Wales and South West Western Australia. Since returning from WA, Dr Ward has been working as a GP for the last 5 years and also works in the Emergency Department at Bowral District Hospital. John has a keen interest in medical education and whilst working in WA at Bunbury Hospital, was awarded Medical Educator of the Year.
Men’s Health and Chronic Disease Management
Dr Clare Haydon (née Hoskins)
Dr Clare Haydon joined Highlands GP in 2017 after completing her general practitioner training and becoming a fellow with the RACGP. Dr Haydon spent the majority of her time as a registrar in rural areas across southern NSW, which lends itself perfectly to working as a GP in the Highlands. She also has a Diploma in Child Health and enjoys working collaboratively with patients at all stages of their life.
Dr Clare Haydon is available to see new and existing patients in Moss Vale on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Paediatrics, Child Health and Women’s Health
Dr Bernadet Sutanto
Dr Bernadet Sutanto joined Highlands GP as a registrar in February 2022 and completed her training with RACGP in 2024. She graduated from the University of Melbourne Medical School in 2017 and worked at central Melbourne hospitals before moving to the Southern Highlands. Dr Sutanto has completed her Diploma in obstetrics (DRANZCOG) and the Sydney Child Health program.
Dr Sutanto is available for IUD or Implanon insertion and removal in our women’s health clinic each Tuesday.
Women’s Health including Antenatal Shared Care & Postnatal Care, Paediatrics, Geriatrics and Chronic Disease Management
Dr Monika Zahorowska
Dr Monika Zahorowska joined Highlands General Practice in 2025 and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practice.
Dr Zahorowska initially completed a Bachelor of Pharmacy and worked as a community pharmacist before completing a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery at the University of Sydney. This was followed by work in the paediatric field and in emergency medicine. She continues to have a strong interest in paediatrics, and has completed a Diploma of Child Health and a Masters in Medicine (Paediatrics).
Dr Zahorowska moved to the Highlands 6 years ago and when not at work enjoys spending time her family.
Paediatrics, Women’s Health, Geriatrics and Chronic Disease Management
