Specialists

DR ANDREW EAKIN

Andrew grew up in Sydney, and undertook his medical degree at Sydney University, graduating in 1998. He undertook further study and completed his Masters of Public Health at Sydney University in 2001. He was based at Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney for the first part of his physician training and then undertook subspecialty training in gastroenterology and hepatology at Nepean Hospital and St George Hospital. Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Physicians (FRACP) was granted in 2006.

Since 2006, he has been practicing in Port Macquarie. Initially, he worked alongside Dr David Gillespie at Hastings Day Surgery, and then established his owns rooms in 2012.

Dr Eakin’s practice involves all areas of intestinal and liver disease, including diagnosis and management of Chron's disease, Ulcerative Colitis, Coeliac disease, iron deficiency, gut motility disorders, chronic constipation, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic diarrhea and swallowing difficulty.

He also investigates liver disease, including chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C infection, and manages patients with liver cirrhosis.

He is trained in diagnostic and interventional endoscopy procedures, including gastroscopy, colonoscopy and capsule endoscopy (PillCam). He has a particular interest in providing high quality colonoscopy procedures for optimal detection of colon polyps and prevention of bowel cancer.

Dr Eakin also undertakes on-call services as a general physician at Port Macquarie Base Hospital, where he is Head of Department (Gastroenterology) and also provides consultations, inpatient treatment and emergency and planned endoscopy services there.

He undertakes regular endoscopy at Kempsey Hospital and Wauchope hospital. He has an appointment at Port Macquarie Private Hospital, where he performs gastroscopy and colonoscopy for privately-insured patients at this facility.

Dr Eakin, along with Hepatitis C nurse Jane Van Der Jagt and Hepatitis C counsellor Lynelle Wood, established the local Hepatitis C treatment clinic in 2009.

As regional examiner for the Royal Australasian College of Physicians, he has organised the RACP examination in Port Macquarie annually since 2008, which assesses the next generation of specialist physicians.

DR LEIGH DAHLENBURG, FRACP

Dr Leigh Dahlenburg is a gastroenterologist and hepatologist in practice at Highfields Gastroenterology and a physician at the Port Macquarie Base Hospital.

A graduate of the University of Tasmania, he completed his fellowship at the AW Morrow Centre for Gastroenterology and Transplant Services at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital in Sydney.

Dr Dahlenburg has a research background in colorectal cancer prevention and quality improvement in endoscopy and a clinical interest in cancer biology, oesophageal reflux, and autoimmune liver disease.

He has extensive experience in the management of both general gastroenterology and end-stage liver disease, and is an active advocate for both Hepatitis C services in regional areas and access for indigenous patients.

Dr Dahlenburg believes strongly in a close clinical relationship with his patients and that the role of the physician gastroenterologist is not just to perform tests and return a patient back to the referring doctor; he sees patients throughout the whole course of their issue.

He undertakes on-call services as a general physician at Port Macquarie Base Hospital and provides consultations, inpatient treatment and emergency/planned endoscopy services there. He is an enthusiastic promoter of community and GP education about gastrointestinal health and makes himself available for practice and registrar teaching on request.

Dr Dahlenburg lectures medical students weekly at the UNSW Regional Medical School Port Macquarie Campus where he was awarded "Hospital Tutor of the Year" in 2016. He is also happy to have discussions with general practitioners.