MDDA extend our most heartfelt congratulations to Dr McGill who was awarded Member (AM) in the General Division in the Australia Day honours for significant service to metabolic medicine, to biochemical genetic pathology, and to medical education. Without hesitation MDDA were proud to provide a reference for Dr McGill’s nomination.
Dr. McGill is a worthy recipient having provided excellent clinical care, dedication, sacrifice, generosity, leadership and compassion to Australian children living with rare metabolic conditions and their families.  He exemplifies Australian values of fairness, caring for the community and putting the needs of the vulnerable first.  He does this with humility and a typically Australian attitude of not wanting a fuss made.
Dr McGill has provided unconditional support and guidance to the Metabolic Dietary Disorders Association (MDDA) since our commencement. Dr McGill’s commitment and dedication to provide a better quality of life, expert medical care, high quality research and support for people with IEMs has been generous and exceptional.
Dr McGill’s contributions over 24+ years to the MDDA and our community are many including:

  • – Participating in countless working committees, assisting with expert advice and support when MDDA has been requested to provide consumer comment to government bodies ie; Life Savings Drug Program, Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee, Department of Health, Therapeutic Goods Administration, Medicines Australia, Newborn Screening Program and other regulatory bodies.
  • – Volunteering his precious family and personal time, for which we are all extremely grateful, to attend our annual weekend National Family Conferences and his willingness to participate in our Round Table discussions and patient online forums in his own time. These events provide the Australian IEM community with support, guidance and education. Dr McGill’s presentations are an important part of the program. He presents on research, developments in clinical care and future treatment options. He is always willing to mingle with patients from all over Australia to share his knowledge.  His warm, gentle approach leaves everyone feeling valued and recognised. When families know he will be at an event our attendances increase!
  • – Apart from being a world leading expert in a range of metabolic conditions, contributing to research and the development of national and international treatment guidelines, Dr. McGill is also a leader in providing person and family centred care.   He brings a relationships-oriented approach to his practice.  This is best exemplified in the Queensland Children’s Metabolic Christmas party which Dr. McGill not only faithfully attends each year but where he also provides his patients with the opportunity to throw water bombs at their favourite Doctor. He is a warm and wonderful human being as well as an exceptional doctor.
  • – Dr. McGill has contributed extensively to the development and professionalisation of the metabolic medicine specialty in Australia by holding various leadership roles in the Australasian Society for Inborn Errors of Metabolism. This society. of which Dr. McGill has been an integral leader, drives clinical excellence, ensure excellent specialist training, contributes to national and international guidelines for the treatment and management of IEM and provides government with expert advice on a range of policy matters.
  • – Dr. McGill has changed the lives of countless Australian children by being a passionate advocate for newborn screening.  He is the head of the newborn screening lab in Queensland and has contributed his expertise to numerous panels that have ensured Australia is a world leader in newborn screening, in terms of uptake, quality, number of conditions diagnosed and safety.  Screening for diseases that undetected lead to catastrophic health outcomes and death in children in one of the most important public health programs in the world.  Dr. McGill’s contribution to the success of this program in Australia is immeasurable.  For those of us whose children’s lives have been changed by receiving early diagnosis and treatment via Newborn Screening this contribution alone is a significant enough reason for Dr. McGill to receive this award.

Dr McGill’s gentle and gracious manner, his compassion and dedication, warmth and willingness to go above and beyond expectation to deliver the very best care to each of his patients will be missed. Many families shed tears on hearing of Dr. McGill’s retirement from clinical practice.
We are privileged and honoured as an association to have had Dr McGill’s support. As individuals and parents with a rare disease we already know that Dr McGill is more than deserving. He is already sadly missed in clinic and we thank him for the immeasurable difference he has made to our lives and to the IEM community.