The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) urologist Professor John Hutson was awarded an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) during the Australia Day honours this month, making him one of only 1700 Australians to receive the award.
Professor Hutson was awarded the AO for his work in medicine as well as his commitment to scouting. Strict instructions meant he could only tell his family and friends the night before Australia Day.
Since starting as an RCH resident in 1974, Professor Hutson has been a research fellow who helped establish an RCH paediatric surgical research laboratory, spent time overseas as a surgical trainee, been Chair of RCH’s Paediatric Surgery Department, spent 15 years working on colonic motility disorders and was Professor/Director of General Surgery from 1994 to 2006. He continues to see general surgery and urology patients here at the hospital and teaches undergraduates and postgraduates every week.
“Paediatrics is fun; working with the kids you get to laugh with them and it’s fun to watch them grow up. I’ve got many patients I’ve seen since the day they were born. Now they come in as adolescents and are bigger than me,” Professor Hutson said.
Scouting became a part of his life when he joined the 1st Malvern parents committee in the late 80s. He has been group leader since 1991 and attended four national scout jamborees as a doctor and been medical director for the past two national scout jamborees, looking after the health and well-being of 12,000 people.
Professor Hutson wasn’t alone as an RCH name on the honours list. Former surgeon Warner Mooney was also honoured with an Australia Day Award, receiving a Medal of the Order of Australia.
He received the award for his “service to medicine in the field of otolaryngology, particularly paediatric otolaryngology, as a surgeon and hospital administrator”.
Dr Mooney was Director of the Oteolarygny Department from 1976 to 1988 and one of the first surgeons in Victoria to use the RCH’s first laser to treat patients with warts on the vocal chords.
He worked at the Eye and Ear Hospital, helping develop processes for cochlear implants, before moving to the RCH. Dr Mooney was a major contributor to a research project into glue ear and also won a prestigious US fellowship. He retired from private practice last year.
Cathy Heycock
Public Affairs Officer