Dr Ahmed Ghazal

Biography

Dr Ahmed Ghazal (Dr Ed) is an experienced General Practitioner with a strong background in surgery, medicine, and primary healthcare. Since graduating in 2009, he has worked across a range of clinical settings, gaining extensive experience in the diagnosis and management of both acute and chronic health conditions.

Dr Ghazal holds Membership of the Royal College of Surgeons of England (MRCS) and the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP), and is a Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP).

He has a particular passion for skin cancer medicine and surgery, combining his surgical expertise with advanced training in skin cancer detection, dermoscopy, and procedural management. Dr Ghazal is dedicated to providing thorough skin checks, early diagnosis, and effective treatment of skin cancers, while ensuring patients receive personalised and compassionate care.

In addition to skin cancer medicine, Dr Ghazal enjoys all aspects of general practice and values building long-term relationships with his patients and their families. His patient-centred approach focuses on delivering evidence-based care tailored to individual needs.

Beyond clinical practice, Dr Ghazal is a Senior Lecturer at Griffith University, where he is actively involved in teaching and mentoring medical students and future healthcare professionals.

Outside of medicine, Dr Ghazal enjoys spending time with his family, playing the guitar, padel, and kite surfing.

Dr Austin Sterne

Biography

Austin, raised in Rugby England, the home of the game, graduated from Birmingham University Medical School in 1991. He first worked in Toowoomba and then Brisbane between 1993 an 1995, before returning to the UK to complete his GP training.  

Austin became a member of the Royal College of General Practitioners in 1996, and returned to live in Kingscliff with his wife and four children in 2001. Becoming a member of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 2001, he set up practice in South Tweed where he has continued to serve the Tweed community for the last 16 years. Austin has been the liaison GP for Closing the Gap Program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, Director of the Tweed Valley Division of General Practice until 2014, a founding director of the Tweed Superclinic in 2013, and continues to be the GP representative for the John Flynn Hospital Medical Advisory Committee.

Austin has a special interest in diabetes, aged care, chronic disease management,  men’s health, and skin cancer medicine. 

Dr Helena Smetana

Biography

Helena graduated from the University of Queensland in 2006 and started working as a GP in 2010.  She has lived in the area since 2007; first having done her hospital training at Gold Coast hospital and then her GP training in the Northern Rivers. As a result, Helena has extensive knowledge of local specialists and services.  

Helena enjoys all aspects of General Practice and has a particular interest in Chronic Disease Management, Aged Care, Women’s Health & Shared Antenatal Pregnancy Care, and Skin Cancer Treatment & Prevention.  She has completed a Certificate in Sexual and Reproductive Health as well as extra training in skin cancer detection (Diploma of Dermoscopy).   She also works as a clinical editor for the Tweed Primary Health Network Health Pathways GP education platform, liaising with local specialists and hospital staff to provide up to date information for local GP’s.

Away from work, Helena is kept busy enjoying time with her partner and their two young children.  When she gets a rare moment to spare, she loves to get to a yoga or meditation class, swim in the ocean, cook a special meal and listen to some music.

Dr Tim O'Keeffe

Biography

Tim grew up in Ireland and completed his Bachelor of Medicine, Surgery, and Obstetrics in 2005. After graduating from University College Dublin, Tim undertook his first three years of hospital training in Dublin before moving to Australia. In 2011, he moved to Northern NSW and became a fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners in 2013. Tim has a special interest in Diabetes and Sexual Health.