29/04/2026
This month's is none other than our Career Medical Officer psychiatrist and master chef Dr Andrew.
After nearly 25 years with Justice Health NSW, Dr Andrew jokes he might be “part of the furniture.” However, his impact reaches far beyond that.
Based at the Metropolitan Reception and Remand Centre, Andrew has spent decades supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our care, helping patients recover and leave custody in a better place than when they arrived.
“It’s been an interesting 25 years. I still like what I do, and I still get satisfaction from it,” Andrew says.
“People can come in homeless and unwell and leave with treatment, accommodation and a much better go at life. Knowing I’ve helped make a difference to their life is what keeps me here.”
“So many of our patients have had difficult life stories, including not accessing healthcare in the community. When they come into our remit, we have a real opportunity to support them and change their life trajectory.”
“It makes me feel privileged to have come from a loving, happy family. It’s nice to be able to help people who haven’t been so lucky.”
Andrew didn’t always have a master plan to become a psychiatrist, though.
“I kind of fell into it, really. Being a doctor sounded like a good idea at the time. I didn’t know anyone else who was one. During medical school, I quickly realised psychiatry stood out as much more interesting than anything else,” he said.
That interest turned into a career spanning almost a quarter of a century in forensic mental health.
Today, Andrew works across the Mental Health Units and Step-Down Units, caring for patients at different stages of their mental health journey. For him, progress often comes through persistence.
“I’ve worked with some people over multiple incarcerations. You keep chipping away. If they come back, you start again,” he says.
It’s an approach grounded in patience, trust and not giving up on people.
Through treatment, release planning and supports such as the NDIS and community transition pathways, Andrew has seen how healthcare in custody can become a genuine turning point.
For Andrew, career highlights aren’t big moments or milestones, but the lasting impact he has made on his patients.
Outside work, Andrew swaps psychiatry for cooking. A keen home cook and self‑confessed barbecue enthusiast, he says his favourite dishes are those cooked on the barbecue.
“I spend ridiculous amounts of time cooking. I really enjoy it. I have about five or six barbecues, which I use a lot in summer. However, they must be wood or charcoal barbecues no gas allowed!”
Thank you, Dr Andrew, for the difference you make to the lives of our patients, supporting them to return to their communities happier and healthier.
Read more about the work we do: https://www.nsw.gov.au/health-and-wellbeing/justicehealth
