Dr Daniel Rankmore

Dr Daniel Rankmore Dr Daniel Rankmore is a Rural Generalist with over 15 years of experience. Former Director at award-winning Tallowood Health (2017–2025).

He holds multiple postgraduate diplomas and now practises at MyGP Hub Tamworth, focusing on skin cancer care.

I think one of the quieter parts of getting older is becoming more reflective. You start asking different questions. Not...
09/04/2026

I think one of the quieter parts of getting older is becoming more reflective. You start asking different questions. Not just what happened, but why. Not just what comes next, but what shaped the road behind you.

This month’s AJGP included a beautiful piece called Trolley boy by Hubert van Doorn. It is not a clinical article in the usual sense.

It is a story about life having sentinel moments that shape our paths. "This poor woman's predicament and what happened in the tutorial violated my sense of being... I took a year off."

And a wise dean who encouraged him, “Then, work to become the doctor you want to be.”

Link to the 5-7 minute read in the comments.

Last week I mentioned that heart disease is the number one killer in Australia. Someone rightly pointed out that it’s no...
28/03/2026

Last week I mentioned that heart disease is the number one killer in Australia. Someone rightly pointed out that it’s not quite that simple.

According to Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the answer depends on who you are.

❤️ Heart disease remains the leading cause of death for men.
🧠 For women, it’s actually dementia, including conditions like Alzheimer’s disease.

When we look at what helps reduce risk for both, there’s a lot of overlap:

🏃‍♂️ Regular physical activity
🥗 Healthy diet (more whole foods, less processed)
🩺 Good blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose control
🚭 Not smoking
😴 Quality sleep
👥 Staying socially and mentally engaged

We can’t control everything, but these are powerful levers.

Age matters too.
🚗 Younger people are more affected by trauma, including motor vehicle accidents and su***de.
🎗️ Cancer risk increases with age, and different cancers peak at different times in life.

Not a cheery post, but a correction and an expansion from last week.

“Fast from midnight” is no longer the whole story.Fasting is becoming more individualised, and factors in your procedure...
23/03/2026

“Fast from midnight” is no longer the whole story.

Fasting is becoming more individualised, and factors in your procedure and how your body handles stomach emptying.

“Sip to Send” approaches may allow some patients to consume small amounts of clear, carbohydrate-containing fluids closer to surgery.

On the other hand, weight-loss medications such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro slow gastric emptying. These patients may be advised to have a longer preparation, including a 24-hour period of clear fluids before their procedure.

So fasting may be shorter for some, longer for others.

It is about matching risk and management to the individual, not a one-size-fits-all rule.

If you're undergoing a procedure, inform your team about all medications you take, including weight-loss drugs. Discuss your specific risks and plan with your anaesthetist and have a safe procedure. 👍

References in the comments.

Big day out at the Tamworth Trail Blazer🏃‍♂️45km with over 3,000m of elevation. Just over 9 hours on the feet. That kind...
22/03/2026

Big day out at the Tamworth Trail Blazer🏃‍♂️

45km with over 3,000m of elevation. Just over 9 hours on the feet. That kind of climbing dictates the pace… slow, steady, and a very long day out.

The course was tough and looking dry. You pass Flagstaff Lookout 6 times, so we get a bit of a time-lapse selfy today.

Huge thank you to all the volunteers. The encouragement, the lollies, and most importantly the water and ice made a massive difference out there. You guys carry these events.

I’ll be sitting for procedures tomorrow 😅

Heart disease still sits at the top of the scoreboard in Australia. More Australians die from cardiovascular disease tha...
17/03/2026

Heart disease still sits at the top of the scoreboard in Australia. More Australians die from cardiovascular disease than any other cause.

For years we have estimated risk using cardiovascular risk calculators. These use well known factors such as age, smoking status, blood pressure and cholesterol. They are useful tools and guide many treatment decisions.

But they have limits.

These calculators mostly measure risk factors, not the actual disease inside the arteries. They also struggle to account for harder-to-measure influences such as stress, sleep, fitness and lifestyle.

One test that can help fill that gap is a coronary artery calcium score. This CT scan measures calcium deposits in the coronary arteries. Calcium in the artery walls is a marker of atherosclerotic plaque, the process that eventually leads to heart attacks.

Put simply: higher calcium score → more plaque → higher cardiovascular risk.

I’ve been requesting coronary calcium scores for some patients for a while now. They typically cost around $200–$300 and can sometimes clarify whether someone’s risk is lower or higher than the calculators suggest.

The Australian Journal of General Practice has a good discussion article on how these newer tools may fit into cardiovascular risk assessment and prevention.

Worth a read if you are interested in the future of heart disease prevention.

A practical skin rule worth remembering. If a skin lesion hasn’t healed within 4–6 weeks, it should be checked by a doct...
16/03/2026

A practical skin rule worth remembering. If a skin lesion hasn’t healed within 4–6 weeks, it should be checked by a doctor. Often the safest step is a biopsy.

A recent case in JAMA Dermatology described a woman in her 30s with a painful ulcer on her finger that developed after minor trauma. It initially appeared to be a small wart and was treated with cryotherapy.

When it didn’t heal, it was treated for several other conditions, including infection and inflammatory skin disease. Despite multiple treatments, the ulcer continued to enlarge.

A repeat biopsy eventually revealed epithelioid sarcoma, a rare soft-tissue cancer that can occur in the hands of young adults. The disease ultimately required major surgical treatment.

The takeaway is simple.

Skin normally heals. If a spot keeps bleeding, crusting, or lingering for more than a month, it’s worth having it looked at.

Most lesions turn out to be harmless. But when something serious is found early, treatment is usually simpler, and outcomes are better.

Thanks to everyone who commented on what you’d like to see more of on this page. I really appreciate the feedback and en...
14/03/2026

Thanks to everyone who commented on what you’d like to see more of on this page. I really appreciate the feedback and enjoyed reading your thoughts.

What stood out most was the positivity and thoughtfulness in the discussion. A few people mentioned they enjoy seeing positive posts in their feed. Social media can sometimes be noisy and negative, so it’s worth holding on to the things that make our days a little brighter.

The most common response regarding content was “all of the above,” suggesting people value a mix of practical health advice, updates, and the occasional reflection. A few thoughtful comments also raised regional health inequality and advocacy, both of which are worth exploring further.

One person mentioned they don’t always agree with me. That’s healthy. Respectfully engaging with people we disagree with is a skill our society needs to practise.

I’ll keep the variety. Useful information, reflections, and probably a few more running photos along the way.

Whole-body MRI scans are increasingly marketed as a way to “check everything” and find cancer early.A recent systematic ...
09/03/2026

Whole-body MRI scans are increasingly marketed as a way to “check everything” and find cancer early.

A recent systematic review and meta-analysis in European Radiology looked at the evidence across 10 studies involving 9,024 people without symptoms. The pooled cancer detection rate was about 1.6%.

The downsides are worth considering together. These scans are expensive (usually $2,500 to $4,000+ in Australia, not covered by Medicare) and they produce many incidental findings. That means harmless abnormalities that trigger more scans, biopsies, cost, and anxiety. The review also noted limited long-term outcome data.

Private services offering whole-body screening in Australia include Prenuvo, Everlab, and some private MRI clinics.

I’ll admit I’ve been tempted myself. If you have to be sick, you want to find it early, right?

But most effective screening programs are targeted to specific risks. Think mammograms for breast cancer or faecal occult blood testing for bowel cancer. Those tests are designed for defined populations where the benefits clearly outweigh the harms.

Whole-body screening is an interesting idea, but talk to you GP first.

Good morning Tamworth. Feedback wanted.A pre-dawn trip up to Flagstaff to start the day. A little dusty. A little overgr...
07/03/2026

Good morning Tamworth. Feedback wanted.

A pre-dawn trip up to Flagstaff to start the day. A little dusty. A little overgrown. But there’s something about open spaces and quiet nature that clears the mind and resets things.

It also reminded me that Tamworth Trail Blazer is only two weeks away (22 March). Tamworth’s premier trail running event… which is technically true given it’s also the only one. Either way, it’s a great local event.

I was also thinking about this page. There’s been a steady increase in followers recently, and I really appreciate the encouragement.

Apparently, Facebook no longer lets you create polls in normal posts, so the old-fashioned way will have to do. Comment the number(s) below for what you’d like to see more of (or add your own idea).

1️⃣ Skin health and skin cancer advice
2️⃣ Lifestyle and general health tips
3️⃣ Health news and updates (policy, new treatments, research)
4️⃣ Leadership, business, and philosophical reflections
5️⃣ Thoughts on family and relationships
6️⃣ Running and travel adventures

7️⃣ Something else… tell me in the comments.

There’s something valuable about stepping outside your own four walls. You meet interesting people, share a few stories,...
02/03/2026

There’s something valuable about stepping outside your own four walls. You meet interesting people, share a few stories, and notice different systems, small efficiencies, and alternative approaches.

I had the privilege of visiting SunCheck in Port Macquarie and spending time with Dr Jonathan Gordon. He has a well-earned reputation for high quality work and for being a genuinely good bloke. Two things I respect.

I’m always looking to keep learning and refining my process. None of us arrive at a finished version of practice. Days like this are about sharing ideas, picking up tips and tricks, and chasing those small improvements that compound over time into better care for patients.

I appreciate the time and generosity.

To bring a little of Tamworth, I left a few tokens: Andrew Pearson Photography, Tamworth’s Under a Big Sky, the Tamworth Surf Club’s Car Karaoke Golden Guitar award, and a couple of local beverages from The Welder's Dog Tamworth and New England Brewing Company for after hours.

Good medicine grows in communit

Port Macquarie Running Festival today. 21.1km, 10km, 5km and 3km back to back.Events like this are more than races. They...
01/03/2026

Port Macquarie Running Festival today. 21.1km, 10km, 5km and 3km back to back.

Events like this are more than races. They are reminders of what our bodies are capable of when we train, fuel, rest and show up. Physical activity does not have to be extreme to be meaningful. It just has to be consistent.

The best part of the day was family lining up in their own events. Shared effort. Shared nerves. Shared finish lines. Weekends like this turn movement into memory.

I did not quite hit my target in one race, but that is part of sport. Goals stretch us. Participation sustains us.

Huge credit to the organisers and volunteers who create safe, welcoming local events. These community races matter. They get people active. They connect us.

If you are thinking about becoming more active, the hardest step is the first one. Start small. Then keep showing up. Consistency, not intensity, is what changes health over time.

Watching the unfolding war in Iran has been confronting. Many of my colleagues are Iranian and still have parents, sibli...
01/03/2026

Watching the unfolding war in Iran has been confronting. Many of my colleagues are Iranian and still have parents, siblings, and friends living there. For them this is not distant world news or political analysis. It is personal worry, disrupted communication, and the quiet fear that comes with waiting for news from loved ones.

I want to speak about this sensitively, recognising the real human impact, while also acknowledging that we cannot completely disengage from major world events. These moments shape lives far beyond national borders, including within our own workplaces and communities.

War is always wrong. It is destructive and ugly. The human cost is immediate and impacts beyond the conflict’s conclusion. Yet history shows that prolonged oppression and restrictions on freedoms often lead to unrest and uprisings, and sometimes war is the choice between bad and something worse.

Let’s pray this conflict is short-lived, proportionate, and results in minimal loss of life. My hope is that civilians are protected and that, on the other side of this, human rights, freedom, and dignity may have space to grow stronger for ordinary people simply wanting safe and stable lives.

Image credit: Reuters Pictures RC2UUJADRO6E.al

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