Dr Alison Heather Gaston, QSM
Dr Alison Gaston, of Dunedin, for services to health and health education
Dr Alison Gaston began working in general practice in the 1980s, specifically caring for the high-need, low-income community in Dunedin. She was a key instigator behind the opening of a community health centre in Brockville. She has worked as an educator for the University of Otago and the Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners for more than 30 years. She was at the forefront of promoting physical activity as part of improving health outcomes, particularly for women. Dr Gaston was a founding director of the Dunedin after-hours GP service and piloted maternity leave when working at Dunedin Hospital.