Just over 10 years ago, Dr Shaun Millns Sizer and Dr Steph Millns Sizer packed up their lives in the UK in search of balance.
With two young children, aged just five and seven, the couple knew they wanted to slow down after the relentless pace of the National Health Service (NHS) and what they found in the rural town of Geraldton was not only a new way of working, but a new way of living.
For Shaun, now a GP at Midwest Aeromedical (MWAM), the move was lifechanging.
“I joined MWAM with no expectations, but I found kinship with fellow GPs who had similar journeys to mine,” Shaun said.
His experience as a GP partner in the UK quickly led to a directorship with MWAM, an opportunity too good to pass up. Though his workload is heavy, the difference in stress levels compared to his former life in the NHS is completely different.
“Had we stayed in the UK, I’d have burnt out by now,” he said.
Shaun said life as a rural GP comes with both immense rewards and inevitable challenges. With an ageing population across the region, he visits an aged care facility providing holistic medical care to residents to enhance their quality of life, work he finds extremely rewarding. But at the same time, the realities of rural health care are ever-present, with limited services and resources often shaping what’s possible.
“The biggest issue is the lack of tertiary care options, coupled with bureaucratic constraints on practising high-quality general practice,” he said.
Recruiting and retaining GPs remains an ongoing challenge and adapting to ongoing legislative and technological changes often comes at significant cost. Over the years, Shaun has watched his role grow alongside the community itself. His reputation has been shaped not just by clinical skill, but by a willingness to listen, adapt, and
be present.
“Practising high-quality care and showing people I was here for the long haul earnt loyalty from the community,” he said.
“We have also worked hard to become part of the community, supporting local sporting events and that trust and respect from our community means everything.”
Steph a lecturer in nursing, is also making her mark in Geraldton, guiding the next generation of nurses. Since 2016, she has worked at the Geraldton Universities Centre as academic coordinator for the Bachelor of Nursing program. With a background in nursing education in the UK, she was excited to continue teaching in Australia.
“Our graduates make up a large proportion of the nursing workforce locally, so the work is important and makes a difference,” Steph said.
Steph’s role is not only about education, but also about building a workforce for the future ensuring the region has well-trained nurses who understand the unique challenges of rural health care.
For Shaun and Steph, the rewards of their move are also evident in their children, who are now considering careers in health despite gentle discouragement from their parents.
“It’s really exciting to see them making their own choices,” Shaun said.
“We believe they’ll do well because they’re both driven and extremely empathic.”
Beyond career satisfaction, it’s the lifestyle that has proven priceless for the pair.
“Every day we are astounded by the Indian Ocean, the beaches, the sport, the four-wheel driving adventures and camping,” Steph said.
“We’ve built an amazing life here. The community spirit reminds me of growing up in the UK in the 1980s and that’s largely gone there, but we live it every day here.”
“That sense of belonging is something money can’t buy; it’s like having another family. We’ve never looked back and are proud to be citizens of this beautiful country.”