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Kerryn Phelps

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AM, MP, MBBS, FRACGP, Hon DLitt
Advisory Board Member, NICM Health Research Institute
Adjunct Professor, NICM Health Research Institute

Prof. Kerryn Phelps AM is well known in Australia as a GP, health and political commentator and social justice activist.

Prof Phelps was the founder of Cooper Street Clinic in 2001 and Bourke Street Clinic in 2006 where she is the lead clinician.

She is a conjoint Professor at NICM Health Research Institute at University of Western Sydney and an adjunct professor in the Faculty of Health at Southern Cross University.

As the first woman to be elected as President of the Australian Medical Association, Prof Phelps pioneered the first AMA policies on complementary medicine and recognising climate change as a human health issue. She also advocated to strengthen Medicare, and for improved indigenous health, aged care, and refugee health.

Prof Phelps was President of the Australasian Integrative Medicine Association from 2009 to 2012, and has argued for the integration of evidence-supported natural therapies into conventional medical practice.

In 2003 she was awarded the Centenary of Federation Medal for services to Medicine and Australian society.

In 2011, she was awarded an Order of Australia for service to medicine.

She is the co-author of a groundbreaking textbook, 'General Practice: The Integrative Approach', published in 2010 by Elsevier.

In 2013 her book 'Ultimate Wellness: The 3-Step Plan' was published by Pan Macmillan. Later that year she was invited to India to meet with HRH Prince Charles (now King Charles III) and to open the Global Health Futures Conference.

In 2014 she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Western Sydney.

In 2015 she published 'The Cancer Recovery Guide', an integrative approach to the management of cancer with a foreword by HRH Price Charles (now King Charles III).
In 2017 she co-authored 'The Mystery Gut' with Dr Claudia Lee and in 2021 published 'How to Keep Your Brain Young'.

In 2024 her memoir 'Power of Balance' was published.

Prof Phelps was the popular health columnist for the Australian Women’s Weekly for twenty five years.

In 2018 she was elected to the Australian Federal Parliament in a by-election in Wentworth where she negotiated the landmark Medevac legislation.

In 2016 Prof Phelps was elected as Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney and was a councillor on the City of Sydney from 2016 to 2021, showing leadership on issues of city governance, inclusiveness, social justice and community wellbeing.

Prof Phelps is an ambassador for the Australian Indigenous Education Foundation and a patron of ACON’s Pride in Health+Wellbeing program.

She is an executive member of the expert group OzSAGE providing evidence-based advice on the COVID 19 pandemic.

Awards and Recognition

  • 2018 Elected to the House of Representatives for Wentworth.
  • 2017 Wrote "The Mystery Gut" published by Pan Macmillan.
  • 2016-2019 City of Sydney Councillor
  • 2016-2017 City of Sydney Deputy Lord Mayor
  • 2015 Wrote "The Cancer Recovery Guide" published by Pan Macmillan.
  • 2014 Awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the Western Sydney University.
  • 2013 Appointed to the board of Hockey Australia.
  • 2013 Wrote "Ultimate Wellness: The 3-Step Plan" published by Pan McMillan.
  • 2011 Awarded an Order of Australia for service to medicine, particularly through leadership roles with the Australian Medical Association, to education and community health, and as a general practitioner
  • 2010 Wrote an Integrative Medicine textbook "General Practice: The Integrative Approach, published by Elsevier.
  • 2009 Hosted Channel 7's "Last Chance Surgery" which was one of the highest rating shows of the season.
  • 2009-2012 Elected President of the Australasian Integrative Medical Association.
  • 2003 Awarded the Centenary of Federation Medal for services to Medicine and Australian society.
  • 2000 Elected Federal President of the Australian Medical Association, becoming the first woman to head this organisation and serving a maximum term of three years.

Education

  • Fellow of the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners
  • 1976-1980 Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS), Medicine, The University of Sydney, Australia

Publications

For a full listing of publications please see: