In a proud moment for regional healthcare, Associate Professor Dr Ravi Bhat AM has been recognised as one of the inaugural Rural Champions by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP), acknowledging his dedicated service to mental health care in rural Australia, especially in Shepparton.
Dr Bhat, a psychiatrist with GV Health, has been a cornerstone of mental health support since moving from India to Shepparton in 1999, where he worked to strengthen services and build a sustainable rural workforce. His appointment as a Rural Champion is one of just two made nationally under the RANZCP initiative, which aims to promote rural training, address workforce shortages and encourage psychiatrists to practise outside major cities.
Reflecting on his journey, Dr Bhat spoke warmly about the Shepparton community, saying their kindness made settling in with his young family feel welcoming and supportive. He emphasised how being part of a close-knit regional community continues to motivate his professional work and personal commitment to improving mental health outcomes in the region.
Throughout his career, Dr Bhat has made significant contributions to psychiatric research, focusing on topics such as delirium in older adults, suicide prevention and improving how mental health services are delivered in rural settings. He has also highlighted the importance of training medical students and junior doctors in regional contexts, noting that strong community connections often encourage trainees to remain in rural practice, helping to build local capacity.
In addition to this recent honour, Dr Bhat was named a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of his outstanding service to medicine and rural psychiatry – a tribute to his long-standing contribution both clinically and in the wider Victorian region.
Dr Bhat also pointed out the ongoing challenges facing rural mental health care, where a significant portion of the population lives outside major cities but only a small fraction of psychiatrists and trained professionals serve those communities. He said closing this gap remains essential to improving access and outcomes for people across regional Australia.
Beyond his clinical role, Dr Bhat is deeply involved in community life in Shepparton, serving on local school boards, supporting the arts, and participating in cultural activities. His work exemplifies how impactful rural medical leadership can be – proving that world-class mental health service doesn’t need to be confined to big city centres.
